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Leadership and Reforms. Mr. Stefan Sofianski, Mayor of Sofia, Former Prime-Minister of Bulgaria Presentation at MADAGASCAR GOVERNMENT LEARNING RETREAT ‘‘Good Governance and Private Sector-led Growth for Sustainable Development: Challenges and Perspectives’’ Antananarivo June 13-15, 2003.
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Leadership and Reforms Mr. Stefan Sofianski, Mayor of Sofia, Former Prime-Minister of Bulgaria Presentation at MADAGASCAR GOVERNMENT LEARNING RETREAT ‘‘Good Governance and Private Sector-led Growth for Sustainable Development: Challenges and Perspectives’’ Antananarivo June 13-15, 2003
Leadership and Reforms Changing modalities of political leadership in Bulgaria 1990-2003
The Background • Stable regime in the period 1944-1990 • Close ally of the USSR; no aspirations for greater independence • Privileged position in the relations with the USSR (cheap raw materials, loans, etc.) • Perception of Russia and the USSR as liberators
The Start 1989: Avoiding the ethnic crisis • Background: ethnic fears of the population • The role of UDF and MRF: dialogue and new leadership style. Cooperative BSP leaders. • The exploitation of the “ethnic issue” by the old elites in the 1990 elections
The Economic Breakdown Fear in 1990-1991 • Administrative economy and the shortage crisis (Fall 1990) • Reaching the political compromise (expert government of UDF and BSP) • The political management of price liberalization and “shock therapy”
The Political Crisis • Ousting the first anticommunist union (UDF) from power (1992) • Revival of the communist elite (1994-1996) • Employment of old leadership styles, methods and goals • The social and economic crisis of 1996-1997: party interest overriding vision of the future, political will and morale
Stabilization of the Political System: 1997 • Launching reform ideas (governments of Stefan Sofianski and Ivan Kostov) • Channeling public unrest into support for painful reforms; control of street pressure • Converting dissatisfaction into political support • Managing political change (resignation of BSP and preliminary elections)
1998-2003: Good, Bad and Evil Good • Achieving economic stability • Initiating real, long-term oriented social and economic reforms • Stabilizing the political system and maintaining the support of the public
1998-2003: Good, Bad and Evil Bad • Converting public support into political monopoly • Fostering the perception of faultlessness among the political elite • Using political power to achieve economic control
1998-2003: Good, Bad and Evil Evil • Corruption • Locating party interests ahead of national interests • Increasing potential of organized crime groups; political umbrellas • Non-transparent political party financing
Leadership challenges • New ideas and political vision = ? • Is it possible to sacrifice the party for the benefit of the country? • How to deal with corruption and preserve a favorable image? • How to regain the confidence of people?