Bivol, Totalitarian Media and Monica Gate Mind the horns!

Three months ago, Bivol revealed that the European Parliament has financed a company of Monica Stanisheva – “Active Group” – as a beneficiary in the project “How Do We Understand the European Parliament.” It turns out that the value of the wired funds from the budget is suspiciously exaggerated and Monica, who presents herself as a PR expert, barely managed to hold a drawing competition and to organize a conference. And tens of thousands of euros were spent for this “super impressive” campaign. While Bivol (Buffalo) locked horns with institutions over the scandalous profiteering, the EP was quick to issue a statement insisting that the project complied with all criteria for selection. As the endless assurances of our institutions that in Bulgaria everything is spick-and-span weren’t enough, Europe also started to foist on us the same meaningless clichés. Sergei Stanishev, Monica’s supporting mate, also advocated for her by ignoring Bivol and snapped that it was not worth reading this media. His statement resembles greatly the inadequate declaration of former Premier Minister, Boyko Borisov, who said earlier that he was not reading “tabloids.” His reaction was prompted by the exposure of his criminal past (in U.S. diplomatic cables from Wikileaks – editor’s note); however this vulgar demonstration had no impact on that part of society that has realized who Borisov is and how tainted he was.

The arrogant attitude of Stanishev, who apparently perceives Bivol as inconvenient and as a possible threat to the future plans of his wife, is very similar. Interestingly, political leaders are pathetic in their attempts to suppress revelations, but never refute them with evidence. Seemingly, to ignore media such as Bivol is suitable; however, Borisov suddenly began to read their publications and to forget. We expect that Stanishev would also be stricken by amnesia and will begin to quote the investigations of the “buffalos.” Given the cycle of our political system that lacks any morals, the absurdity will undoubtedly be repeated. And it will be ugly, arrogant and tawdry. The methods used by the repressive apparatus to promote their lies are disgustingly vile. Media are an ideal tool for distorting reality and tend to turn away from the truth for the sake of their own comfort. Regarding Monica’s infamous project, instead of being major supporters of the facts exposed by Bivol after October 31, they imposed full informational blackout over fear and self-interest. For two months the investigation remained uncorroborated, and “fellow” journalists pretended it never existed. During that period, when “the animal with the horns” wallowed alone in the mud, the cockroaches became immediately evident. Media dependence turned out to be more frightening than we thought. During that stagnant time, we were able to realize the pressure on freedom of speech, the extend of censorship, even in Europe, and the doom of the whole fake democracy.

In early January this year, a sudden and hypocritical media catharsis occurred when MEP Ingeborg Grassle, from the European People’s Party (EPP) and member of the Budgetary Control Committee, stated before the popular publication “Der Spiegel” that financial resources of the Union were not used carefully. According to her, the allocation of funds from the European Parliament for the wife of the leader of the Party of European Socialists (PES) reeked of passive bribery of an official in office. Grassle asked clearly and simply if EP President Martin Schulz, who has close relations with Stanishev, had used parliamentary funds to help his political friends. A question Bivol kept asking for months in order to find out whether a Bulgarian leader has been involved in conflict of interest. The establishment of such correlation would have convinced us once again in the persisting functioning of the twisted socialist regime, which still cannot be limited or suppressed. After Grassle’s insistence on a probe, media suddenly activated themselves and began to simulate concern. A MEP had to alert for possible fraud at a high level to make us once again witnesses of media pretention. And some arrogant pseudo-journalists did not even attempt to convey concern and directly copied Grassle’s words, followed by very insignificant details of the investigation, whose primary source is Bivol. They did not focus on the seriousness of the case and tried to turn it into some news leaked from somewhere. Through manipulation they attempted to suggest that the MEP’s indignation was not important. Although they botched the reporting on the case, they remained in darkness and in information blackout, without even a prospect to ever see the light. The totalitarian syndrome of our media revealed its definite retrograde resilience.

Surprisingly, in late January, Monica Stanisheva dropped the project and said she will return the advance pay she received. According to her, the upcoming probe and media interest were “attempts to burden it with malicious and unfounded accusations to be used unscrupulously and speculatively for political strife.” It is not clear what caused this sudden decision of “Active group,” but if the project is exemplary, then Monica’s actions are ambiguous. Maybe the stone of truth is being polished and we only need to wait for it to become completely smooth. Until that happens, Bivol will stand confidently behind their revelations because as a Chinese proverb says: “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, and then stand firm.”

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