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The demonstrations started 28 May 2013,<ref name="dnevnik.bg"/> but actual large-scale protests did not emerge until the controversial appointment of Delyan Peevski as head of the [[State Agency for National Security]] on 14 June.<ref name="reuters14"/> Despite the government's decision to reverse the appointment, protests continued, raising new demands, including Mr Oresharski's resignation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/17/thousands-protest-in-bulgaria-against-two-week-old-government/ |title=Thousands protest in Bulgaria against two-week-old government |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |work=euronews.com |publisher= |accessdate=June 23, 2013}}</ref> Demonstrations have been noted for their use of social networks.<ref name="DANSwithMe">{{cite web |url=http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/19/will-you-dance-withme-how-the-bulgarian-protests-use-social-media |title=Will you #ДАНСwithme? How Bulgarian protesters are using social media |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |work=euronews.com |publisher= |accessdate=June 23, 2013}}</ref>
The demonstrations started 28 May 2013,<ref name="dnevnik.bg"/> but actual large-scale protests did not emerge until the controversial appointment of Delyan Peevski as head of the [[State Agency for National Security]] on 14 June.<ref name="reuters14"/> Despite the government's decision to reverse the appointment, protests continued, raising new demands, including Mr Oresharski's resignation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/17/thousands-protest-in-bulgaria-against-two-week-old-government/ |title=Thousands protest in Bulgaria against two-week-old government |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |work=euronews.com |publisher= |accessdate=June 23, 2013}}</ref> Demonstrations have been noted for their use of social networks.<ref name="DANSwithMe">{{cite web |url=http://www.euronews.com/2013/06/19/will-you-dance-withme-how-the-bulgarian-protests-use-social-media |title=Will you #ДАНСwithme? How Bulgarian protesters are using social media |last1= |first1= |last2= |first2= |date= |work=euronews.com |publisher= |accessdate=June 23, 2013}}</ref>


The protests are still ongoing weeks after the reversal of Deevski's appointment, attracting a steady number of 10 000 to 15 000 people without any signs of slowing down. Because of the lack of response from the government, the demonstrators have resorted to other means of expressing their anger over the presumed corruption of the government, including protesting every morning in front of the parliament, as part of the the morning initiative to "drink coffee" with the politicians, and blockading different roads at random<ref>http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=151667</ref>. In addition, many Bulgarians living abroad have expressed their support for the protests <ref>Bulgarian Expats Join Homeland's Anti-Govt Protests</ref> Despite demonstrations, the government has largely ignored the protesters and dismissed their claims.<ref>[http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2013/06/protests-bulgaria?fsrc=scn/tw_ec/yet_another_early_election_ Yet another early election?], ''Economist'', Jun 24, 2013</ref><ref>{{bg icon}} [http://www.standartnews.com/balgariya-obshtestvo/chetvarti_den_na_protesti_sreshtu_kabineta-192805.html Fourth day of protests against the Cabinet], ''[[Standart (newspaper)|Standart]]'', 17 June 2013</ref> According to [[Netherlands|Dutch]] news sources, there were calls for demonstrations in 18 cities.<ref>{{cite news |title= Protesten in Bulgarije houden aan|language=Dutch|first= |last= |url= http://www.nu.nl/buitenland/3506352/protesten-in-bulgarije-houden.html|trans_title= Protests in Bulgaria continue|newspaper= nu.nl|date= 20 June 2013|accessdate= 20 June 2013}}</ref>
The protests are still ongoing weeks after the reversal of Deevski's appointment, attracting a steady number of 10 000 to 15 000 people without any signs of slowing down. Because of the lack of response from the government, the demonstrators have resorted to other means of expressing their anger over the presumed corruption of the government, including protesting every morning in front of the parliament, as part of the the morning initiative to "drink coffee" with the politicians, and blockading different roads at random. Despite demonstrations, the government has largely ignored the protesters and dismissed their claims.<ref>http://www.standartnews.com/balgariya-politika/angel_naydenov_kabinetat_ne_obsazhda_ostavka-194485.html</ref> According to [[Netherlands|Dutch]] news sources, there were calls for demonstrations in 18 cities.<ref>{{cite news |title= Protesten in Bulgarije houden aan|language=Dutch|first= |last= |url= http://www.nu.nl/buitenland/3506352/protesten-in-bulgarije-houden.html|trans_title= Protests in Bulgaria continue|newspaper= nu.nl|date= 20 June 2013|accessdate= 20 June 2013}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==

Revision as of 16:26, 2 July 2013

Protests against The Oresharski cabinet
The outside of the Cabinet office on 14 June. Protesters chanting slogans.
Date14 June 2013 (2013-06-14) – ongoing
Location
Bulgaria
Caused by
Methods
Number
Between 10,000 and 20,000 [3][4]

The Protests against the Oresharski cabinet is a series of demonstrations held in Bulgaria against the left-wing Cabinet of Oresharski (coalition between Bulgarian Socialist Party and DPS). The demonstrations started 28 May 2013,[5] but actual large-scale protests did not emerge until 14 June.[6]

First series of protests: environmental issues

Initially the demonstrations started as a protest from environmentalists and green activists against the nomination of Kalin Tiholov as Investment Planning Minister. Tiholov had been involved in the controversial "Dyuni-gate" affair, whereby he had invested in a major building project at the Dyuni ("dunes") nature spot on the Black Sea coast.[7][8] Due to the protests Tiholov withdrew as candidate.[9] People came out for a variety of topics, with most important the restart of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant and building in protected areas.[citation needed]

Second series of protests: Peevski as a head of DANS

The second series of protests had a far more political scope. These protests started on 14 June, as response to the election of Delyan Peevski as head the security agency DANS (State Agency for National Security).[3][10][11][12] Peevski, an MP for the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS), is also head of Alegro Capital LTD, a big communications concern which includes the TV7 network.[13] Peevski was approved by parliament within an hour of being nominated by the ruling coalition of Socialist party and DPS. His surprise election immediately provoked nationwide protests the same evening (10,000 in Sofia alone), organized though Facebook.[14][15][16]

Although the election was a surprise for the Bulgarian people, later investigations by newspaper Capital made clear that the appointment was not spontaneous as claimed by the BSP. In fact, it was carefully orchestrated and prepared long before the BSP was able to form a cabinet.[17] The appointment of Peevski caused widespread indignation. Even president Plevneliev spoke out against it and said that the Cabinet of Prime Minister Oresharski has lost credibility.[18]

Public anger was exacerbated by the fact that in the weeks and days leading up to Peevski's election, the parliament had approved major changes in the structures of DANS, which gave its head unprecedented powers. The changes included:[19]

  • taking DANS out of the structure of the Interior Ministry and putting it under the direct auspices of the Cabinet
  • taking the Anti-Organized Crime Directorate out of the Interior Ministry and placing it under the direct control of DANS
  • taking away the President's right to nominate the head of DANS.

Although Peevski wrote on 15 June that he will be withdrawing from the post, the protests stem from general discontent with the government as a whole.[20][21]

The demonstrations started 28 May 2013,[5] but actual large-scale protests did not emerge until the controversial appointment of Delyan Peevski as head of the State Agency for National Security on 14 June.[6] Despite the government's decision to reverse the appointment, protests continued, raising new demands, including Mr Oresharski's resignation.[22] Demonstrations have been noted for their use of social networks.[16]

The protests are still ongoing weeks after the reversal of Deevski's appointment, attracting a steady number of 10 000 to 15 000 people without any signs of slowing down. Because of the lack of response from the government, the demonstrators have resorted to other means of expressing their anger over the presumed corruption of the government, including protesting every morning in front of the parliament, as part of the the morning initiative to "drink coffee" with the politicians, and blockading different roads at random. Despite demonstrations, the government has largely ignored the protesters and dismissed their claims.[23] According to Dutch news sources, there were calls for demonstrations in 18 cities.[24]

References

  1. ^ Template:Bg icon There is only one roadmap: Resignation for the government. Elections., Capital, June 19, 2013
  2. ^ Template:Bg icon Plevneliev (text and video), Bulgarian National Television, June 16, 2013
  3. ^ a b Template:Bg icon 20,000 gather at third Sofia Protest, Dnevnik, 18 Jun 2013. Retrieved 26 Jun 2013.
  4. ^ The spirit of protest in Brazil and Turkey has now swept into Bulgaria, The Guardian, 25 Jun 2013. Retrieved 26 Jun 2013.
  5. ^ a b Template:Bg icon Check protest against Cabinet 'Oresharski', Dnevnik, 28 May 2013
  6. ^ a b Tsolova, Tsvetelina. "Bulgarians protests over media magnate as security chief". reuters.com. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  7. ^ Template:Bg icon The Brains of Dyunigate Kalin Tiholov becomes minister, Bivol, 27 May 2013. Retrieved June 2013.
  8. ^ Template:Bg icon Dyuni-gate index, Bivol. Retrieved June 2013.
  9. ^ Template:Bg icon Controversial Bulgarian Ministerial Nominee Withdraws amid Public Outcry, Novinite, May 28, 2013
  10. ^ Bulgarians protests over media magnate as security chief, Reuters, June 14, 2013
  11. ^ Thousands Rally in Bulgaria against Election of Shady Mogul for 'FBI' Head, Novinite, June 14, 2013
  12. ^ Template:Bg icon Protester says things could change for better (video), bgnes, 2013-06-14
  13. ^ Template:Bg icon Barekov: TV7 brought down the government, Kapital, 25 Feb 2013. Retrieved June 2013.
  14. ^ Template:Bg icon Over 10,000 people came out in the protest against Delyan Peevski in Sofia - chronology, Dnevnik, 18 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
  15. ^ Template:Bg icon I don't want Delyan Peevski to head DANS, btv news, 14 June 2013. The original facebook page referred to in the news article is here
  16. ^ a b "Will you #ДАНСwithme? How Bulgarian protesters are using social media". euronews.com. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  17. ^ Template:Bg icon Peevski with access outside of the law, Capital, June 18, 2013
  18. ^ Bulgarian parliament elects media mogul as powerful security chief, stirring public outrage, Washington Post, June 14, 2013
  19. ^ Template:Bg icon DANS swallows GDBOP, Capital, May 28, 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  20. ^ Bulgarian protesters call for government to resign, Financial Times, June 16, 2013 (subscription required)
  21. ^ Swoboda Slams Bulgarian Socialists over Controversial Appointment, Novinite, June 16, 2013
  22. ^ "Thousands protest in Bulgaria against two-week-old government". euronews.com. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  23. ^ http://www.standartnews.com/balgariya-politika/angel_naydenov_kabinetat_ne_obsazhda_ostavka-194485.html
  24. ^ "Protesten in Bulgarije houden aan". nu.nl (in Dutch). 20 June 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
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