Petar Cholakov - Ethnic Entrepreneurs Unmasked: Political Institutions and Ethnic Conflict in Contemporary Bulgaria

Figures

1. Discrimination against Roma

2. The scope of state functions

3. Strength of state institutions and scope of state functions

4. Comparison between six states in 2013, based on WGI (Graph View)

5. Votes for the MRF in the elections for BNA, 19912014

6. Fears of the MRF voters

7. Votes for the main PRR parties

8. Votes for Ataka, NFSB, and MRF in the parliamentary
elections (2005, 2009, 2013, 2014)

9. Social distances (2016)

10. Social distances (2008 and 2016)

11. Criminal activities among the main ethnic groupsthefts

12. Criminal activities among the main ethnic groups
robberies

13. Criminal activities among the main ethnic groupspremeditated murders

14. Criminal activities among the main ethnic groups
batteries

15. Criminal activities among the main ethnic groupsrapes

16. Social distances. Do you agree or disagree with each of
the following statements?

Tables

1. Main ethnic groups in Bulgaria since 1878

2. Main sources of income for Roma households

3. Comparison between six states in 2013, based on WGI

4. Control of corruption in six states in 1996, 2003, 2008, 2013

5. Ethnic profile of the political parties in the Bulgarian
National Assembly in 2009

6. Crimes and Roma suspects

7. Number of complaints lodged with the Commission for Protection Against Discrimination per year

8. Use of force by the Bulgarian police by years

The relative ethnic peace which Bulgaria has enjoyed in the recent decades is among the few remaining bastions of national self-confidence. Amid bitter antagonism, bloodshed, and financial crises, which devastated many countries after the collapse of the Communist bloc, the sanctity of interethnic accord has, in general, been revered in Bulgaria. Its preservation is possible because the political system, despite its multiple drawbacks, is still able to tame the flashing sparks. Not only the limited comprehensive research on the topic but also the current affairs testify to the relevance of this book, dedicated to the role of political institutions in ethnic conflicts in Bulgaria after 1989. As I am writing these lines, Lyutvi Mestan, the leader of the newly formed ethnic party Democrats for Responsibility Solidarity and Tolerance (DOST), The events in Katunitsa, Orlandovtsi, Garmen, and Radnevo indicate that the clashes and physical violence between Bulgarians and Romani, who remain subjected to social exclusion and marginalization, are on the raise. In addition, there are numerous other less visible and often ignored outbursts of hostility on ethnic grounds which happen on a daily basis. The issues discussed in the pages that follow are even more pertinent when we consider the international context. The principles and values on which the European Union (EU) is built are challenged by the constant migrant flow from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other failing states. At the same time, the increasingly menacing shadow of terrorism revealed its poisonous tentacles in the attacks in Madrid (2004), London (2005), Burgas (2012), Paris (2015), Brussels, Istanbul, Nice, Wrzburg, Ansbach, Munich, and Berlin (2016).