Scandal over luxury properties rocks Bulgaria
In Bulgaria three ministers have resigned from Prime Minister Boyko Borisov's cabinet after it emerged that they had purchased luxury apartments in Sofia at prices far below market value. The public prosecutor's office is investigating the circumstances of the transactions. Is this latest scandal just a flash in the pan or could it prove dangerous for the government?
When real estate purchases engender hatred
Bulgarians put up with a lot from their politicians but there is one thing they will not tolerate, Trud explains:
“Practically nothing could anger people in this country more than politicians who acquire huge apartments for ridiculously low prices. Poverty and screaming inequality bring the people onto the streets, but the properties snatched up by the powerful engender pure hatred. A politician can amass millions during his term in office, but that doesn't incense the people nearly as much as an apartment purchased for a suspiciously low price.”
Government will survive latest scandal
Although the case is making waves with the Bulgarian people, like all the other political scandals it will soon be forgotten, writes the Bulgarian service of German broadcaster Deutsche Welle:
“This hypothesis is not based on opinion polls but on past experience and the mindset of the various groups of voters in Bulgaria. The ruling party has already emerged from so many scandals virtually unscathed that there is no reason to believe that it won't survive another one now. Moreover the elections are still far off. There's enough time to divert people's attention to other matters.”