A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MP

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MP

Dr. Ksenia Kisselincheva

“I am the only woman who has survived as a MP for the last ten years. More importantly, I hope my personal and public integrity have survived too”.

We were sitting in the cafe lounge of Bulgarian Parliament - it was on the eve of NATO’s strikes on Yugoslavia and beneath the surface, a nonchalant atmosphere, I could sense the apprehension in the air. A sort of fever was occasionally spilling and heating up the informal discussions of the people, hanging around the lounge. Groups were changing -when the loudspeaker announced that the session would resume. Some of them hurried towards the assembly hall, while others preferred to queue up for another cup of coffee, still others played around with their mobiles, making and receiving calls. For one reason or another, my companion, Elena Poptodorova didn’t have one - perhaps she was better off not getting hooked on it. Most people inevitably realize they tend to indulge in trivial and useless conversations. Before she joined me at my table, I had been watching her talk to two sociologists, doing a survey on the forthcoming local elections. I envied her absorption in what she was doing - she seemed oblivious to the razzmatazz around her.

Her verve and vivacity was very Mediterranean, yet she appeared  to be a good and careful listener. She stayed in close eye-contact with her interviewers, giving them a reassuring nod now and then, her face suddenly lit by a generous smile. Finally, she came over to my table and apologized for making me wait.  “How does a woman feel in the world of diplomacy and politics, traditionally considered in this part of the world to be exclusively men’s territory?”

“As you might rightly guess, it is a tough choice but I have never regretted it. I am the only woman who has survived as a MP for the last ten years. Most importantly, I hope my personal and public integrity have survived too”.

Elena is widely traveled and well informed - she can draw parallels between different cultures when discussing the position of women in society. Scandinavian women are far ahead of all other Western countries in this respect, having proved and proving to be successful in all key areas of government, social affairs and the media on a par with men. While in the Balkans, the maximum a woman can hope for, is to be the deputy of a man-leader or to be entrusted with a socially oriented institution as the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Education. And when it comes to foreign policy and national security, men are reluctant to accept the presence of women. Elena quotes one of their arguments which makes me laugh. Most men believe that to have a good grasp of national security issues, you must have served in the army.

 “How has Parliament been functioning lately? What is the effectiveness of law adoption and the quality of the laws adopted?”

“The last session was extremely busy and the toughest decisions had to be taken since 1990. We adopted the energy system Act and it was adopted with a consensus among the various parliamentary groups. But there were sharp differences and disagreements when it came to the ratification of the Framework Convention for the minorities. There were even differences within the ranks of the opposition. The concept on national security also provoked a long and heated debate but it was finally adopted”.

Elena thinks that differences and controversy are part of a healthy political climate and she finds our Parliament has done some progress as far as tolerance and effectiveness go. What is alarming, in her opinion, is when partisanship gets the upper hand over national interests. When the parliamentary groups are more concerned with keeping or increasing their electorate rather than taking a responsible stand on a issue. Ms Poptodorova, apart from being a representative from the Euro Left, is a member of the Monitoring Committee to the Council of Europe. Recently, she met in Sofia her colleagues from the Monitoring Committee - there was a certain progress on their recommendations, made during their previous visit. For instance, the progress achieved was concerning the death penalty, the readiness for ratifying the Framework Convention for the Rights of Minorities, the cancellation of the Lustration clause from the Administration Act. But what the Constitutional Court failed to do is to introduce greater consistency in respect to the replacing of the members of the Higher Court Council. Otherwise, every parliamentary majority will be allowed to select the judiciary authority that suits its interests best.

“How about the image of Bulgaria abroad? Have things changed for the better in the last two years?”

“There are certain positive developments due to the stabilization of the financial system and a certain success in dealing with the criminal formations in our economic life. But sometimes the party squabbles prevent from conducting a constructive dialogue among the various political forces. This does not go unnoticed by the diplomatic corps and the international community. The image of Bulgaria cannot be created by a single party or political coalition, it cannot be usurped as its prerogative and merit. The image is created by all political forces, by all institutions, by all citizens of the country.

“How does corruption impede foreign investment?”

“There is no doubt that it is a serious impediment to inward investment. In the West there is an efficient system of supervision and control which acts as a counterbalance of corruption which unfortunately is found even in the richest and most civilized societies and organizations. The scandal in the European Commission and that in the World Olympic committee are only two recent illustrations of this pervasive phenomenon.

“How about the crisis in human values on a personal or public level? Doesn’t their degradation threaten society with chaos and disintegration?

“Yes, this is one of the most serious threats we are facing. The economy can recover within five or ten years if the right decisions are taken, but once humanitarian values have been crushed, it takes generations to make them an integral part of the social fabric.

These values, Elena admits, are the most valuable “dowry” she has received from her family. Decency and respect for others, values which have been cherished and handed from one generation to the next. She is telling me about her great grandfather, who was a MP for Stambolov’s Party and who took part in the creation of the first democratic constitution after liberation from the Turks. And she is, more or less, following in the steps of her grandfather, who was a social democrat. Also, she inherited from her family a passion for learning languages and the arts. Whenever she goes on a business trip abroad, no matter how tight her working schedule is, she always finds time to pop round to a favorite medieval cathedral or an art gallery. The world of politics is so hectic and confusing, so the soul craves for a few ecstatic instants, surrounded by the world of art.          

Sofia Western News Monthly, 1999