Bulgarian Society Has Become Part  of European Debate on Multiculturalism's Failure - Institute for Right-Wing Policy

Sofia, June 16 (BTA) - After the events in the village of Gurmen
 and in Sofia's Orlandovtsi residential district, the Bulgarian
society has become part of the European debate on the failure of
 multiculturalism, and it is yet to be seen if Bulgaria can
formulate a new integration approach, reads an analysis on the
May-June period by the Institute for Right-Wing Policy (IRWP).
IRWP Chairman Neno Dimov presented the analysis at a BTA-hosted
news conference on Tuesday.

In late May, serious tension escalated between the villagers and
 Roma people in Gurmen following a row over a trivial issue -
somebody playing loud music and disturbing public order.
Protests against the Roma followed, with local residents
claiming they are often victimized by thieving Roma, many of
whom live in unlawful homes built in the last few years. On June
 13, a  mass fight between Roma and Bulgarians erupted in
Sofia's Orlandovsti residential district, over loud music coming
 from a car riding around the local park. On the following day,
close to 200 people came out to protest against the Roma in
Orlandovtsi. People were injured in both conflicts, and several
persons were detained.

According to the IRWP, the results from the Roma integration
process thus far show that neither the civil organizations
working on the issue nor the State, which has rather distanced
itself from the problem, have been choosing the right approach.
In this situation, the expectations of the majority of the
society are the State to enter the ghettos and  also to be able
to formulate and impose a common value, legal and social
standard of behaviour on all Bulgarian citizens.

It remains an important question who will lead these processes,
the IRWP also said. According to the analysts, the civil
organizations are not capable of playing this role due to
society's low trust in them and their extremely unsatisfactory
results. At the same time, the State gives signs that it is
willing to show courage and effectively take part in the
problem's solution by changing the direction of isolationism. In
 this relation, it is worth noting the adequate and timely
reaction of the Interior Ministry  during both conflicts.

The analysts commented that in the May-June period, the
political situation in Bulgaria remained stable and the formula
for the political stability's priority guarantee brings positive
 results for the economy.

Regarding the main political forces, the IRWP said that GERB
continues to balance successfully between its various partners
in the ruling majority, as well as between the majority and the
opposition. The non-confrontational line of behaviour, which
Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has been following since the start
 of his mandate, practically weakens the opposition. At the same
 time, GERB marches towards the local elections as an undisputed
 rating leader.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) is getting entangled in
scandals, the analysts noted. A significant ideological dispute
within BSP is the one between MP Georgi Kadiev and the
parliamentary group's leadership over Kadiev's proposal to allow
 the use of mother tongue during the election campaign.  At
present, Kadiev's idea hardly has the potential to become a key
position of BSP, but in the mid- and long-term the Left is
doomed to liberalization, the IRWP said.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) continues to follow
the trend of uncertainty and wandering. The MRF's problem lies
not in the small number of votes or the fluctuating support, but
 in the unwillingness of the other parties to cooperate with
this political force, the analysts noted.
 
The Reformist Bloc once again will choose between unity and
division, the IRWP forecast.

The union between the IMRO party and the Patriotic Front looks
stable and manages to play successfully "along the edge of the
blade" between the participation in the government and
opposition talking.

The Ataka party's attention is completely focused on the Russian
 topic and the conflict in Ukraine.

As for ABV, the emotions and interests around this political
force subsided after the re-election of Georgi Purvanov as ABV
Chairman, the analysts concluded.