Bulgarians Wrestle With Democracy in Media Obscurity, Preempted by a Month of Extraordinary World Events

Bulgarians have spent March reconsidering democracy, a concept unknown in the Balkans until the Soviets left two decades ago. The proximate cause was the resignation last month of the government, which had not confronted corruption and growing poverty, among other deficiencies.

Yet the underlying unease-- the trauma to the national psyche-- dates beyond the Soviets to centuries of Ottoman domination. In snap elections May 12, Bulgarians will elect a new government, or perhaps reelect the usual suspects. The country has dodged a new constitutional convention advocated by some.

Though the crisis potentially threatens EU solidarity, and the word communism has entered the dialogue either as warning or misplaced nostalgia, the debate has flourished remarkably free of detailed coverage by the international press, except for the earliest bulletins and a few exceptions..

This is thanks to a chain of big stories that stole the front pages: Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Myanmar, North Korea, South Africa, Syria, Vatican, Venezuela, horse meat.

This period out of the spotlight well serves Bulgaria because it obscures the flood of outrageous claims and counterclaims by protesters and candidates. Allegations range from parties co-opting independent protesters, to manipulating public opinion polls, to plotting assassination. Many claims could be verified or dismissed easily, but few have tried. No investigator is above suspicion as a collaborator-- another legacy of the Soviets.

Regardless, serious Bulgarians have the opportunity to propose a future and attract voters without the world laughing at political shenanigans that would embarrass even Swift Boaters and further diminish the credibility of a nation that ranks near the bottom of numerous global comparisons of corruption, rule of law, poverty, and freedom of the press.

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