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So what? People don't have a clue about the reality of politics in Bulgaria. To put it simply: It is a mixture of crooks and shady billionaires with ties to u

by nbzso 5y ago

So what? People don't have a clue about the reality of politics in Bulgaria. To put it simply: It is a mixture of crooks and shady billionaires with ties to underground criminal organizations and ex Bulgarian Secret Services operators. To clarify further, things are so corrupt and chaotic that people voted a local TV star Slavi Trifonov to power. Which failed so miserably, that now they elected a government with some "new actors" and bunch of old corrupted faces. There is now even a local Hip-hop star in the parliament. Go figure:) Even if this guy has good intentions, or technical expertise, fixing the always "broken" e-government (https://cnn.it/3m0f1CE https://cnn.it/3m0f1CE) will not be easy or remotely possible. To much corruption is lurking in the shadows.

gostsamo 5y ago
He is involved for years in public initiatives for developing the e-government, he is not taken from the closest to the parliament Starbugs.
phoronixrly 5y ago
Ah, a prime example of the infamous Bulgarian pessimism. Let me counter with some positive stuff: 1. For the first time in 10+ years the Bulgarian IT community is represented. To add to that, it's represented in both parliament and government. This is a huge change on its own. 2. For the first time in 10+ years there are new faces and young people (20 and 30-somethings) in the parliament and the government. Yes, this includes among many others, TV stars, musicians, artists. They are representing the people who voted for them and that I find is positive. 3. Fixing the broken e-gov, or starting anew, is indeed a hard task. That is why the local IT community needs to be positive and helpful. It's for the best of everyone and an important prerequisite to reducing corruption. This includes both administrative corruption (by reducing the number of people on administrative positions) and political corruption (by providing transparency through easing access to data and fostering public involvement in policymaking).
- nbzso 5y ago
  I have a first hand experience working with political parties and business entities in Bulgaria for more than two decades. Pessimism or optimism are states of illusion and tolerance non relevant to the reality of the situation. New faces don't change corrupt practices. Jail-time for corrupt politicians and related third parties can. But the Judicial System is full with corrupt judges with ties to Secret Service and criminal underground and EU is not making any efforts to change this. For the last 20 years there is not one representative, from any party, with proven corruption practices to serve jail time. All of this in country which is famous for one of the highest death rates in the world and one of the lowest standard of living in the EU. Sorry, for being a realist.
  - EastSmith 5y ago
    > Jail-time for corrupt politicians and related third parties can This is not a fact, but a hypothesis, and probably wrong one. Higher punishment will most probably bring more corruption.
    - nbzso 5y ago
      Agree. Higher punishment will. In Bulgaria they have "A lack of punishment".
    - ridiculous_leke 5y ago
      Why will I be more corrupt if I know that the eventual punishment is proportional to my corruption? On the contrary, I will be more than happy to augment the corruption if the punishment is not that harsh. I can serve the simple punishment and leave for another country with all the money stashed.
      - necovek 5y ago
        It's never as simple cut as that. You are completely discounting the risk of getting caught, which is something you can actively work against. If it wasn't, nobody would be committing (pre-meditated) murder any more, because that's got the toughest penalty (not really, but let's pretend for a bit) of all the crimes.
gouggoug 5y ago
Amusingly enough this is on the front page right now: https://dimitarsimeonov.com/2021/12/12/opt-out-of-cynicism https://dimitarsimeonov.com/2021/12/12/opt-out-of-cynicism (HN submission https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29534714 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29534714)
- nbzso 5y ago
  To create change one must face the facts. Facing the facts is not cynicism. I have shared facts, not some form of "rationalization" or emotional interpretation of reality. I agree with the author over the problem of cynical way of thinking, but I have witnessed a lot of failures in personal or business form as a result of optimistic views. Stoicism is my personal choice of mindset towards balance.
locallost 5y ago
There is certainly corruption, but there is corruption everywhere. I've lived in both eastern and western Europe and I'd say the west is not better at all, I'd say it's even worse because the corruption is higher up and it involves a lot more money. But the people there don't go around repeating how corrupt everything is and don't generate new corruption by making it normal. This idea of corrupt poorer countries is also somewhat propagated by the richer countries and it should not be embraced as much by the people living there.
- johnisgood 5y ago
  Is it corruption if the cops let you off the hook when they catch you smoking weed in a country where it is illegal to do so? Genuinely curious.
  - 0xdeadb00f 5y ago
    Legally speaking; of course it is. Morally speaking; depends on your morals ;)
    - johnisgood 5y ago
      So corruption can be good, right? :D
      - 0xdeadb00f 5y ago
        Legally speaking; no. Morally speaking; maybe :)
        johnisgood 5y ago
        Great answer!
llampx 5y ago
Counter points: Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenegger (and of course Donald Trump)
0xdeadb00f 5y ago
Is this not true for all countries? It's just a matter of how "bad" the corruption is.
raxxorrax 5y ago
> people voted a local TV star [...] to power Yeah, that only happens in Bulgaria... I get it though. Although I think nepotism does result in people voting for anything but a politician or what established media recommends, since those would be suspected to engage in corruption themselves.

by nbzso 5y ago

gostsamo 5y ago

He is involved for years in public initiatives for developing the e-government, he is not taken from the closest to the parliament Starbugs.

phoronixrly 5y ago

Ah, a prime example of the infamous Bulgarian pessimism. Let me counter with some positive stuff: 1. For the first time in 10+ years the Bulgarian IT community is represented. To add to that, it's represented in both parliament and government. This is a huge change on its own. 2. For the first time in 10+ years there are new faces and young people (20 and 30-somethings) in the parliament and the government. Yes, this includes among many others, TV stars, musicians, artists. They are representing the people who voted for them and that I find is positive. 3. Fixing the broken e-gov, or starting anew, is indeed a hard task. That is why the local IT community needs to be positive and helpful. It's for the best of everyone and an important prerequisite to reducing corruption. This includes both administrative corruption (by reducing the number of people on administrative positions) and political corruption (by providing transparency through easing access to data and fostering public involvement in policymaking).

nbzso 5y ago
I have a first hand experience working with political parties and business entities in Bulgaria for more than two decades. Pessimism or optimism are states of illusion and tolerance non relevant to the reality of the situation. New faces don't change corrupt practices. Jail-time for corrupt politicians and related third parties can. But the Judicial System is full with corrupt judges with ties to Secret Service and criminal underground and EU is not making any efforts to change this. For the last 20 years there is not one representative, from any party, with proven corruption practices to serve jail time. All of this in country which is famous for one of the highest death rates in the world and one of the lowest standard of living in the EU. Sorry, for being a realist.
- EastSmith 5y ago
  > Jail-time for corrupt politicians and related third parties can This is not a fact, but a hypothesis, and probably wrong one. Higher punishment will most probably bring more corruption.
  - nbzso 5y ago
    Agree. Higher punishment will. In Bulgaria they have "A lack of punishment".
  - ridiculous_leke 5y ago
    Why will I be more corrupt if I know that the eventual punishment is proportional to my corruption? On the contrary, I will be more than happy to augment the corruption if the punishment is not that harsh. I can serve the simple punishment and leave for another country with all the money stashed.
    - necovek 5y ago
      It's never as simple cut as that. You are completely discounting the risk of getting caught, which is something you can actively work against. If it wasn't, nobody would be committing (pre-meditated) murder any more, because that's got the toughest penalty (not really, but let's pretend for a bit) of all the crimes.

gouggoug 5y ago

Amusingly enough this is on the front page right now: https://dimitarsimeonov.com/2021/12/12/opt-out-of-cynicism https://dimitarsimeonov.com/2021/12/12/opt-out-of-cynicism (HN submission https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29534714 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29534714)

nbzso 5y ago
To create change one must face the facts. Facing the facts is not cynicism. I have shared facts, not some form of "rationalization" or emotional interpretation of reality. I agree with the author over the problem of cynical way of thinking, but I have witnessed a lot of failures in personal or business form as a result of optimistic views. Stoicism is my personal choice of mindset towards balance.

locallost 5y ago

There is certainly corruption, but there is corruption everywhere. I've lived in both eastern and western Europe and I'd say the west is not better at all, I'd say it's even worse because the corruption is higher up and it involves a lot more money. But the people there don't go around repeating how corrupt everything is and don't generate new corruption by making it normal. This idea of corrupt poorer countries is also somewhat propagated by the richer countries and it should not be embraced as much by the people living there.

johnisgood 5y ago
Is it corruption if the cops let you off the hook when they catch you smoking weed in a country where it is illegal to do so? Genuinely curious.
- 0xdeadb00f 5y ago
  Legally speaking; of course it is. Morally speaking; depends on your morals ;)
  - johnisgood 5y ago
    So corruption can be good, right? :D
    - 0xdeadb00f 5y ago
      Legally speaking; no. Morally speaking; maybe :)
      - johnisgood 5y ago
        Great answer!

llampx 5y ago

Counter points: Jesse Ventura, Arnold Schwarzenegger (and of course Donald Trump)

0xdeadb00f 5y ago

Is this not true for all countries? It's just a matter of how "bad" the corruption is.

raxxorrax 5y ago

> people voted a local TV star [...] to power Yeah, that only happens in Bulgaria... I get it though. Although I think nepotism does result in people voting for anything but a politician or what established media recommends, since those would be suspected to engage in corruption themselves.