The word referendum’s origin comes from the ancient Roman Empire – the referre verb was used whenever the Romans were summoned to speak up on some matter of importance. Nowadays referendums are a direct democracy tool, giving an opportunity to the voters to speak up their mind on a significant public life issue. Switzerland is a good example of a wealthy state, ruled via referendums only.

On the other hand, Wikipedia explains mockup as objects, exclusively created for stage plays, replacing the real ones. Unfortunately the referendum subject in Bulgaria has started to look like mockup, as the state is one of the poorest in Europe.

It is unexplainable why more than 25 years after the fall of communism in Bulgaria its politicians still run like hell away from the referendums’ topic. In 2004 ex-Foreign Minister Solomon Passy was impudent enough to state that the Bulgarian people was not ready to vote at referendums. The problem back then was the eventual carrying out of a nationwide poll on the country’s EU accession. He went on to say that the sociological agencies had registered over 80% of support, regarding the European future of the nation. Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007 and it was one of the few countries, alongside Cyprus, with no referendum held on the issue.

Today we witness the other side of the medal – referendums, please! Last Thursday the parliament allowed the referendum, proposed by showman Slavi Trifonov and it will be held in the autumn, together with the presidential elections. Trifonov has gathered the signatures of no less than 400,000 Bulgarians, thus meeting the criteria. The MPs even didn’t discuss the 6 questions and some of those might turn out to be unconstitutional – for instance, the MPs to be elected under the majoritarian system with an absolute majority and in two rounds. One of the questions this time is related to the remote and online vote. The same referendum took place last year on the initiative of President Rosen Plevneliev. “I am concerned about how many times the nation should be asked the same question,” the head of state said. Others question the online vote, claiming there are more important things, concerning the prosperity of the Bulgarian people. The 6^th question of the showman’s referendum is shocking: “Do you support the election process of directors of the interior ministry’s district directorates and the heads of the police departments to be carried out under a majoritarian voting system with an absolute majority in two rounds?” This could leave you speechless, as the same piece of logics is applicable to the question whether Bulgaria is a state or geographical concept only.

Another referendum with 5 questions can be spotted on the horizon, this time initiated by businessman Veselin Mareshki. It is a matter of days the inspection of the signatures collected to be finished, but the ruling majority at the parliament has already stated its admission. Thus two referendums and presidential polls are likely to take place altogether on one day in the autumn. By the way, both referendums ask the same question: should the number of MPs be reduced from 240 to 120?

This is a real mockup situation and it comes as a result from many years of political avoidance of referendums. That is why now showmen and traders have taken up the initiative to play with direct democracy.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev