A new reality show on stage - the Galevi brothers
Ladislav Tsvetkov*, June 21, 2009
Days before the release from custody and 2 weeks before the general elections, the public, the politicians and the media have a new occupation - the "Galevi" brothers are going to become MPs. The uproar which fills newspapers and TV shows and is also a main issue for the politicians, but it is also unnecessary and serves the politicians only. The current situation, to put it mildly, raises suspicions that someone needed the candidates Galevi. And not only them.
A little history. Almost 2 years ago Plamen and Gele, also known as the Galevi bothers, caught attention with one of the greatest scandals during the ruling of the tripartite coalition which led to the resignation of the minister of the interior Rumen Petkov. Not long after this, Rumen Petkov was already past but the cloud above the heads of the benefactors from Dupnitsa, started to thicken and this led to one of the most ludicrous operations. There was a special operation for the arrest of Galevi which not only failed but against the background of heavily armed officers from different police structures, the "brothers" appeared peacefully in the National service of investigation where they said many things, among which that the situation is a true farce. Furthermore, they indirectly said that they know enough.
The behaviour of the ex officers from the special anti-riot unit showed 2 things. The first is that they consider the things they know as sort of a guarantee against extreme actions against them and, what is more important, they did not seem frightened at all, even not surprised by what is happening to them. Obviously this made certain people to reconsider and not long after this, first Plamen Galev and then Angel Hristov have been detained. Since then everyone is constantly taking about them. And not just talking but their release turned into main issue for everyone. There are 2 weeks until the elections which is pretty enough for Angel Hristov and Plamen Galev to organise 5 election events and 50% of the time by the end of the campaign will be theirs.
This casts a thick shadow over the real political debate, the estimation of the past 4 years of government and, most of all, who and why would be elected by those who will do real politics and not the "Galevi brothers. Because if they are elected, they will not be a factor in politics nor will form the future of Bulgaria. The procedure for immunity removal is being activated which might be the end of their political life. But they served what they had to. There was no political debate for the European elections too. So, we need to answer some questions: who is interested in who we are electing, beside the short party names and are these elections real elections or a full substitution of practices for election campaigns?
*Ladislav Tsvetkov is a reporter of Re:TV and a photographer
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