‘Trust in Bulgaria government declines’

Trust in the Bulgarian government has largely declined, says Bulgaria’s former Prime Minister Ivan Kostov.

In an interview with local radio Darik, Kostov, who was also the leader of right wing Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria (DSB) party, said surveys revealed that people’s confidence in the current Bulgarian socialist-led government had only been lower during the tenure of Prime Minister Zhan Vasilev Videnov more than a decade ago.

Kostov also stated that former Premier Andrey Lukanov had resigned in the 90s amid higher approval ratings than those of the current government.

Kostov warned Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski, saying this amount of distrust between people and the government had previously led to governmental crisis.

“Naturally, there were indications back in February, but these signals fell on deaf years or were not taken seriously,” said the former DSB leader.

Bulgaria’s government has made no comments on Kostov’s remarks so far.

Anti-government protests across Bulgaria started in June with hundreds of students calling for an overhaul of the political system in the country.

Last week, angry students in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia clashed with the riot police as they tried to cordon off the parliament building by forming a human chain to prevent lawmakers from leaving. Five protesters were reportedly arrested.

The protest followed another demonstration where students occupied lecture halls and prevented teaching in the main building of Sofia University.

The protesters began occupying parts of the university on October 23, when students interrupted a lecture of Dimitar Tokushev, chair of Bulgaria’s Constitutional Court and professor at the university.

Demonstrators demanded Tokushev to explain the court’s recent decision to confirm the status of controversial media mogul Delyan Peevski as a member of parliament.

The current Bulgarian government came to power in May, two months after the previous government fell following massive protests over low living standards and high utility bills in the poorest member of the European Union.