The standards of even the most credible publications can come crashing down when it comes to the Bulgarian reality and its fake-news-steered public consciousness. Examples abound. The latest, but surely not last, one comes courtesy of the online publication of Der Standard.

Some (well-known) oligarchs have been skillfully exploiting the ongoing protests as a lifejacket at sea. They have been funding protesters (by Vasil Bozhkov’s own admission) or opting for an easier and cheaper option – using Prokopiev’s mainstream media machine to run their own talking points, their distorted version of events, their defensive theses.

Just a day after liar №1 in the country Hristo Ivanov, aka Pinocchio, a battering ram for the oligarchy and the Capital circle, turned up in the Rosenets area and unloaded a pack of lies, former PM Ivan Kostov put the behind-the-scenes clique’s B team in the game. Gen. Atanas Atanasov, who serves as something of an avatar for the so-called Commander, made an appearance on bTV, the network providing coverage favourable to the anti-government protests, to put on the latest Capital circus show.

Do you know what distinguishes sociology from manipulation? The questions. Just ask any student specialising in this field of science, which is supposed to study public sentiment. “Supposed to” are the operative words here because in Bulgaria sociology, and not only, has long morphed from science into an instrument for manipulating said public sentiment.

Who turned the country into a sieve?

Who is stealing directly from our pockets through electricity and natural gas bills that have been artificially pumped up for decades?

Who turned our hospitals into hostages of a pharmaceutical giant, sending the healthcare system into decay?

There are no ministers under the control of Peevski, there is a prime minister. That flabbergasting nonsense, part of the talking points of the oligarchy, was uttered by Vladislav Panev, a Sofia municipal councilor and an old associate of Ivo Prokopiev.

Do you know how billions can disappear overnight and a state can wake up with skyrocketing hyperinflation? Perhaps not, but you can always fill in the blanks by questioning former vice-PM and minister of economic development in Videnov’s infamous cabinet Rumen Gechev, who has risen from the ashes of the 1990s bank collapses after socialist leader Kornelia Ninova personally installed him as BSP lawmaker and vice-chair of the budgetary commission at the current National Assembly. 

There are innumerable sayings around the world about all sorts of things, but some version of one in particular can be found in every European country, across the pond too. That is no coincidence. You all know it – while the cat is away, the mice will play. In that same spirit, while the new CEO of the US Agency for Global Media Michael Pack is trying to steer the Congress-funded publications, including Radio Free Europe, back to observing ethical norms and their originally intended roles, a segment of the personnel of those same media outlets is using the temporary limbo created by the reshuffling at the top (See here) to continue their proverbial mice play.

With all due respect to the Englishmen, but they are wrong when they say there is no such thing as eternal enemies. The Bulgarian oligarchy may change up the targets it is bombarding with lies and disinformation through a mainstream media machine whose publications are funded either openly or under the table by the oligarchy and single out victims for daring to disturb its peace of mind, but the list of enemies features one constant – lawmaker from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) Delyan Peevski.

The gambling tzar facing 18 felony charges Vasil Bozhkov has ordered his pawns from the Poisonous Trio to arrange it so the country is paralised for his birthday on Wednesday. The Bulgarian El Chapo, who defrauded the state coffers out of BGN 700m and subsequently fled to Dubai only to launch from there a plan to undermine the country’s institutions so he can avoid retribution for his crimes, has issued an order for all groups of protesters paid by him to gather for a national rally on 29 July.