Galery

1

Yes, but in the end, it is important to increase people's incomes. This seems imperative to me in comparison with their freezing in recent years. I am also of the opinion that any government in power would have to consider these measures, which are not enough, of course. I am absolutely convinced that the efforts should be focused on increasing people’s salaries and pensions as well as mother’s benefits. Everyone would say, "Where will the money come from? The state has no money." This is not true. The state may have enough money if it collects the receivables in a categorical manner; if it limits smuggling, if the state authorities responsible for the collection of revenue are really working instead of becoming dens of corruption and indulgence of the oligarchs and business interests. If this is done, I am absolutely sure that there will be money for mothers and pensioners, and for raising incomes as well.

As for smoking, in my personal opinion, although I am a non-smoker, this total ban, which has been introduced in establishments, is extremely stupid and inappropriate. I think it was a parrot-like repetition of something that someone had seen somewhere else - in the U.S. or in any other country - and had decided to introduce it on Bulgarian soil to say, "Look, we are Europeans and modern people." I think that we should not act like this and we have to think when applying one measure or another. I support the idea that there should be establishments where people can smoke, and others where they cannot smoke. It depends on their owners. Accordingly, smokers and non-smokers will go to the establishment preferred by them. In Bulgaria, there is a sufficient number of people who do not smoke and so, there will be enough income for the owners of non-smoking establishments.

What do you think are the measures that the government should take to improve the business climate in order to achieve an increase in the incomes of the people in Bulgaria?

First of all, people who do not have friendly, business or any other relations with power should be allowed to work and earn. In fact, the main problem of Bulgaria, not only during the term of the last government of GERB, is that nobody can do serious business if he or she is not closely linked with the ruling elites. So, we will never be able to have a normal business environment in Bulgaria for as long as this trend and this truly perverse relationship between the government and business continues. We will have only a very corrupt society in which businessmen and politicians will be in an extremely unnatural relationship and this will lead us neither to better conditions for doing business nor to more income for the people. We will just continue to be swamped in corruption.
 
What do you think is the right policy in the energy sector, which is one of the main topics discussed in the Bulgarian public space?

Energy is an area in which a lot of interests are concentrated. This is because there is plenty of money in it. It is no coincidence that the report of the World Bank and the European Commission emphasizes that it is time for the relationships between government officials of all levels and various businessmen to be thwarted and terminated. What I said before applies in full as well, namely the highly abnormal environment for doing business and, ultimately, for the governing of the country. This is because it turns out that the majority of people who run businesses related to energy, and even private companies in the same field, are not dealing with it to provide a better service to the public, but to exploit people as much as possible, in the sense that they want to make more money out of them. Here we can mention the energy distribution companies, renewable energy sources and everything that constitutes a truly total corruption mix of government officials, private companies, persons and companies close to the government, ministers. It must be broken up or otherwise, Bulgaria will not prosper.

The new cabinet involves many women. How would you comment on this fact?
 
Honestly, it is not important for me whether it involves women or men. What matters is whether they will work. In principle, I am opposed to anything that is called political correctness and states that you can promote people to positions just because of their colour, or just because they are women and gays, as has been the recent trend in the United States and European countries.

I think that the criterion of whether a person should be promoted or not should be his or her skills. The same applies as regards the distinction between young and old. I do not mind if the Council of Ministers is composed only of women as long as each one of them is an undisputed expert in her field. I think that it is a big mistake to promote a person just because she is a woman, has blue eyes, or just because he or she is a homosexual or Roma. People should be promoted only on the basis of their merits and without any prejudice against their gender, sexual preference or ethnicity.

Do you expect a change in the government policy on Macedonia? In your opinion, how will the relations between the two countries develop, especially after the refusal of the previous government to support Macedonia's efforts to join the European Union?