Every Second Resident of Sofia Feels Like Filchev - Before the Fatal Friday
date: 09.11.2000
Every Second Resident of Sofia Feels Like Filchev - Before the Fatal Friday
As can be seen, the "Beetle gate" scandal (at least, as far as its official part is concerned) has reached its conclusion. The reports of three ministries have been written, the executive authorities have made their proposals and punishments "on the top", a mass examination was started in the homes of 700 high state officials, amendment was initiated for several legislative acts. After a ten-days' fuss, these seem to be the only certain facts available to the public. Against this background, it is not surprising that, regardless of the strongly polarised and confused public opinion as to the position of the high state officials on the "Filchev gate" case, the only politicians whose actions were considered adequate rather than not were the (politically) present Prime Minister and the (physically) absent President. All other actors and institutions have categorically been found "inadequate". In ascending order these are the parliamentary debate (48%), the Chief Prosecutor (49%), the Minister of Interior (52%), the Chairman of the largest opposition party, G. Parvanov (53%).
Of the two reactions of the governors, "the former state security is to blame" and "certain higher officials have overlooked their duties", the latter statement seems to have gained a wider ground. In a ratio of 54% : 38% the residents of Sofia believe that the responsibility lies mainly with the leading departments of the Ministry of Interior whose actions seem either uninformed or incompetent. In the same order, 14% think that all former officers of the state security services in the Ministry of Interior have to be dismissed, 27% insist on the dismissal of the minister and 54% would like to see the specific faulty persons dismissed.
However, if we try to break away from the framework of the specific case, the major issue which this scandal raised before the public is whether the constitutional rights of citizens are protected against illegal watching and listening. Two-thirds of all the respondents believe that this is the major issue which needs to be clarified and solved. Although the scandal had a situational effect on the population of Sofia, only 12 per cent feel "protected against intrusion into their private lives". Thirty per cent react similarly to the official according to whom the issue of the listening devices can be reduced to the problem of "whether you have something to hide or not".
However, it is not only the chief prosecutor, but also 58% of Sofia voters who claim that they do not feel protected against the illegal use of special intelligence devices". And this is where their resemblance with Nikola Filchev ends. If the latter could afford to order an immediate inspection into his home on the fatal Friday, the average tax payers cannot do so. They would presumably have to be protected by the law forged by their MPs and its subordinate officers. However, the hot summer scandal showed them that they could rely on neither the one nor the other, which introduces an additional factor for their estrangement from the political class.
