Why this is important
.
Dear Madam Vice-President,It is a pleasure to welcome you to Bulgaria at a time we consider crucial for the future of our country and the European Union (EU) as a whole. As a group of active protesters concerned with where Bulgaria is headed, we would like to take the occasion to thank you for your visit and the opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue, as we share a number of issues of great concern to us as citizens of Bulgaria and the European Union.We would like to turn your attention to several key issues, which are of grave concern to justice, fundamental rights and citizenship as they relate to Bulgaria and the larger EU family.
Through the appointments of several senior officials with prior criminal records, implicated in corruption, extortion, financial crimes, ethical and surveillance scandals, the current government of Prime Minister Oresharski has proven within weeks that it is a function of the special interests and ambitions of oligarchic circles and criminal structures. It is not a government recognized by all those who desire Bulgaria to be а part of the European family. Not a government of those who desire to see Bulgaria become more than just the poorest EU member, always playing catch up in regard to the vitally necessary justice and political reforms. What is more, this is not a government of those who work every day to turn Bulgaria into a country governed by the rule of law – a key component in Bulgarian society’s transformation.
We are more interconnected than ever and the problems of one become the problems of all. We should look no further than the past years of economic and fiscal turmoil for the evidence. Combating organized crime in its various forms is another area where Europeans are more interdependent than ever and we are afraid that, there, we may also be sliding backwards. Furthermore, just as we see a right-wing nationalist tendency threatening to sweep Europe, Bulgaria has also fallen in the right-wing ultra-nationalist dependency trap. Currently the Bulgarian Parliament takes decisions on the beck and call of a fringe right-wing anti-EU party, which at its core runs counter to European values. We see this as a larger European problem threatening the fabric of European society and values.
We hope that our appeal for help and support from the EU institutions, including the European Commission, would not go unnoticed when we ask you to make sure that democratic principles are observed by the Oresharski government, which lacks legitimacy with its own citizens, and to seriously consider all means at the disposal of the Commission. Thousands of Bulgarians are out on the streets for close to 40 days because we feel our values are being shortchanged by the current government. Our aspirations are European values, we all are European citizens. Most of us go to work everyday with the dream that someday, not far in the future, Bulgaria will be a respected member of the European family. We all work hard for this to happen and we won’t allow this illegitimate government to do a U-turn and take our dream away. We believe you shouldn’t allow that either.
The lies and scandals, which have surfaced over the past weeks are deeply troubling and we hope that the EC has followed closely the details of the numerous scandalous appointments, which regretfully continue full-speed, as we speak. We hope that the EC would arrive at the realization that this government cannot be a reliable and respected partner trusted to act in the interest of its own citizens, and therefore cannot be trusted by the Commission. As a European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship, we would be grateful to see you step in actively and decisively to defend the rights and wellbeing of all citizens of the Union – Bulgarians included.
More Europe? Yes, please.
We are afraid that at this point the government-oligarchy nexus in Bulgaria is made up of figures reminiscent of the old communist regime and its secret police. The government is a function of their economic interest and priorities, and not the life and future of our children. As Bulgarian citizens who protest, together with all those millions of Bulgarians, who support the messages the protests convey, we would like to see this government resign, with new elections taking place. Elections are the answer to a political crisis – this is what democracy is about.
We hope to lead a normal life guided by justice, rule of law, ethics, rights and freedom. As we wish to live in a normal country, we rely on your support, just as the EU supported all those EU members in financially vulnerable position – with the only difference that we do not ask for financial support but for your political support. We wish to see that the European Commission considers all instruments at its disposal to ensure that a democratic solution to the current political crisis is put in place.
You can meet us every day around 19pm at Independence Square in Sofia. We thank you in advance for your support. Villmols merci.
.
The petition can be signed here.
Source: Аvaaz.org
