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Murphy meeting the President of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev.

Column Why is the EU observing Bulgaria's elections this Sunday?

In all, 8200 candidates will contest 240 seats in Bulgaria this weekend – making for a particularly complex process. TD Eoghan Murphy explains why he is part of an observation mission to the EU member state.

Recently, Eoghan Murphy TD was appointed by the Chairman of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe to lead the short term observation mission to Bulgaria for their parliamentary elections this Sunday – an important moment in Bulgaria’s political history.

EU member state Bulgaria has 29 political parties, 7 coalitions, and 2 independent candidates contesting the elections; in all 8200 candidates will contest 240 seats. Notably, the Bulgarian electorate has never returned the same government to power since it chose democracy as its political system. Here, Murphy explains the reasons for the OSCE’s presence and outlines what the international team is there to do.

WHEN MORE THAN 200 international observers descend on Bulgaria to witness the parliamentary elections this week, it will be the first time since 1997 that the country has hosted such a full-fledged observation from the OSCE and its Parliamentary Assembly.

So, after 16 years, why are we returning?

Let me begin by pointing out that, as the political figure appointed to head this mission on behalf of the OSCE, our presence here is independent from some of the topical items that may appear in the news.

Bulgaria has moved a great distance in political, social and economic terms in two decades, since those times when the path to Brussels was considered as something inconceivable. It is 16 years since the last electoral observation mission here and the OSCE is returning to a very different political landscape.

A new level of openness

From our own pre-election visits, observations and briefings, we have seen election officials functioning with a new level of openness during this campaign, and I hope those same officials are proud to welcome the international observers this month. At our best, observation missions help keep trust and integrity in a system in which we are all invested.

No one in Sofia should view the presence of observers this year as any sort of a step back. On the contrary, Sofia’s decision to welcome OSCE observers – as enshrined in national law and Bulgaria’s international commitments – is recognition of Bulgaria’s stature within Europe and dedication to multilateral cooperation on our shared democratic goals. While we cannot be in every OSCE country to observe every election, we always strive for a geographic balance – observing electoral contests throughout our diverse region from Vancouver to Vladivostok, including EU countries, like Bulgaria.

An opportunity to reaffirm our democratic principles

With every election, no matter the present day political challenges, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to reaffirm our democratic principles. People’s dissatisfaction with the political class (a notion hardly unique to Bulgaria during the current global recession), the polarised political debate (not uncommon either), and intense competition between the parties are just some of the ingredients that make the 12 May elections a defining moment in Bulgaria’s history.

As an elected parliamentarian myself, with many elected colleagues and friends in the OSCE region, I have been in a position to witness first-hand, significant changes that have been brought about by people of different nationalities in different countries exercising their democratic rights. And whatever the outcome on election day, it is fundamentally important that people have trust in the election itself for these rights to maintain and to thrive. This is particularly true in challenging times.

We are not coming to Sofia to question Bulgarians’ ability to hold free and democratic elections, but rather to send a signal that the OSCE stands ready to actively support this country just like any other participating State. We come to proclaim our shared commitments to fundamental freedoms so necessary to our collective security community.

Process to ensure the will of the people is expressed and respected

Throughout the country on Sunday we will be present with open eyes, and come Monday, we will share our observations with the public. And should actions on election day impact the level of trust in this country’s democratic institutions, we will report them accurately and without bias to the international community.

For elections, as thrilling as they can be, in the end, are always about more than the personalities on the ballot. Every election is a test, not so much about the strength of parties but the strength of processes, a nation’s chance to affirm its own commitment to democratic governance. It is up to all those who participate in this process to ensure the will of the people is not only expressed but accepted and respected as well.

Eoghan Murphy is the Fine Gael TD for Dublin South East.

Read: More from Eoghan Murphy on TheJournal.ie>

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11 Comments
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    Mute Séan Ó Nuanáin
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    May 15th 2019, 9:39 PM

    Should be removed from his job

    323
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    Mute Humphrey Harold Haddington
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    May 15th 2019, 10:09 PM

    @Séan Ó Nuanáin: And replaced by who, The whole government needs to be removed, but then who do we replace them with, Ff/Sf/Lab/indp……. They are all unqualified and incapable of running the country…. Id nearly give the healy-reas a go on their own at running the country at least they are successful business people!

    81
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    Mute Humphrey Harold Haddington
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    May 15th 2019, 10:12 PM

    @Humphrey Harold Haddington: i take back the part i said about the healy-rae’s…. But you get my point

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    Mute John Considine
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    May 15th 2019, 10:23 PM

    @Humphrey Harold Haddington: Fair play on that retraction and I do believe I get your point. Which to me raises the following question, not just for you, but generally; if there was party brave enough to actually run on civil service reform and to take on the epic battle of explaining why that is so important, would you go out of way to support them?

    18
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    Mute Amused Bystander
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    May 15th 2019, 10:28 PM

    @Humphrey Harold Haddington: thank god you came to your senses…

    9
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    Mute Humphrey Harold Haddington
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    May 15th 2019, 10:36 PM

    @John Considine: yes i would.

    8
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    Mute Dave Harris
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    May 16th 2019, 8:58 AM

    @Humphrey Harold Haddington: Simon Harris got the job of health minister as a reward for supporting Enda bloody Kenny, not because he was suitable or capable of doing the job. He needs to be removed.

    7
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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    May 15th 2019, 9:58 PM

    Irish nurses work 13 hrs a day, including 30mins hand over both sides of their shift, Spanish nurses work 8hrs a day, only for the fact that we employ so many Indians who are so diligent the health system would collapse.

    108
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    Mute Humphrey Harold Haddington
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    May 15th 2019, 10:16 PM

    @Charles Coughlan: That means nurses here work 65 hours a week for 35 grand a year, ridiculous no wounder all our nurses are emigrating.

    75
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    Mute Brendan Kernan
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    May 15th 2019, 10:17 PM

    @Charles Coughlan: how many hours per week. Many nurses happy to work those hours for a 34 day per week and have 3-4 days at home

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    May 15th 2019, 10:50 PM

    @Brendan Kernan: I’ve been in the Mercy Hospital for the last 9 days, 6 of these in the ICU, discussed this with many of them, over worked, spend the next day in bed, the drive to and from home takes another 90 mins, they don’t complain but you can see they are visibly tired.

    25
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    Mute sean
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    May 15th 2019, 10:03 PM

    We need less administrators on high salaries doing half a job and more nurses on higher wages saving lives. Hospitals are for livesavers and patients, not expensive paper pushers. Complete overhaul of system needed. Scary how little nurses make for the job they do.

    128
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    Mute Dave Harris
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    May 16th 2019, 9:03 AM

    @sean: Most of the middle management spend their time trying to push hair brained schemes past the other middle managers – and the rest of the time covering their own arses. They clearly have poor understanding of the people the are supposed to be looking after and the way front line staff do their jobs.

    13
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    Mute Martin Critten
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    May 15th 2019, 9:58 PM

    As usual Fine Gael’s freemarket ideology is costing more on so many levels. Get back to basics, employ those you need giving them and patients some dignity and cut out the wastage on agency staff (we all know that’s yet another transfer of State money to profiteers).

    87
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    Mute Brendan Kernan
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    May 15th 2019, 10:48 PM

    @Martin Critten: agency staff are human too.

    12
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    Mute Sean
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    May 15th 2019, 10:34 PM

    This government ignores the experts and all sound advice from within and ploughs ahead regardless. This applies to broadband, health, housing and just about everything else. Then, when it all goes wrong, they say it couldn’t have been expected. Then they repeat the same mistake again as they are doing here. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.

    55
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    Mute Christopher Byrne
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    May 15th 2019, 10:19 PM

    Simple, all the moola has been blown on the children’s hospital….

    65
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    Mute Geraldyn Swanepoel
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    May 15th 2019, 10:56 PM

    This Minister needs to go now

    38
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    Mute Dan Black
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    May 15th 2019, 11:03 PM

    As I’ve mentioned on previous articles, Harris is not fit for office. This man has never had a full time job in his life ( aside from the junket he’s now part of) yet he is our minister for health. He is completely incompetent of fulfilling this role yet there he is. Roll on the next general election. ( Although I’ve a sinking feeling that the sheep will follow the flock yet again)

    48
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    Mute Dave Harris
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    May 16th 2019, 9:12 AM

    @Dan Black: remember how Harris got that job? As a reward for supporting Enda Kenny in a leadership vote. Not because he was suitable or competent, just for his snivelling loyalty

    13
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    Mute TheTrustedChalice
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    May 15th 2019, 9:39 PM

    Harris is a disgusting creature.

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    Mute John Considine
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    May 15th 2019, 10:11 PM

    @TheTrustedChalice: Yeah, I don’t think there’s any need to go there man. All that sort of pointless invective does is alienate people who would otherwise be inclined to agree with your general point. I mean, if anyone in this country believes it’s sensible that the HSE pays agency rates to “fill in” for obviously permanent positions then they shouldn’t be allowed in charge of a charity bake sale, much less the Health Service.

    I would argue that this is much more a case of the tail (Civil Service) wagging the dog (Minister in Charge) than any sort of inherent corruption or ideological malice. Which means that focusing on personality politics does literally nothing to address the actual issue here, which is that our civil service is almost entirely out of the control of their elected leadership. I genuinely wish it was as simple as Simon Harris being a disgusting creature, but we both know it isn’t. Right?

    40
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    Mute sean
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    May 15th 2019, 10:37 PM

    @John Considine: I dunno….you reckon Michael O’Leary would put up with it??

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    Mute Sean
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    May 15th 2019, 10:39 PM

    @John Considine: That adjective is not suitable. He’s not disgusting. He seems like a nice enough chap. He reminds me more of a friendly puppy type of personality though. You ask him to fetch your slippers but he just jumps up on you with muddy paws and licks your face. Harmless but useless.

    17
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    Mute Bryan Kelly
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    May 15th 2019, 10:49 PM

    @Sean: Repeatability politics is a trap. His behaviour as minister, and his treatment of his critics had been 100% disgusting. It’s not an invective, it’s an accurate descriptor. Asking nicely for our TDs to stop destroying the country hasn’t been working too well since the foundation of the state. Stop treating these parasites more nicely than they treat the people they supposedly represent.

    12
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    Mute Bryan Kelly
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    May 15th 2019, 10:45 PM

    They……already did this? The moratorium under Croke Park. And what the opposition are saying will happen is exactly what did happen then. Increased reliance on agency staff meant payroll costs were higher than if they’d granted new contracts.

    Are they gonna do the other ridiculously moronic thing they did with the moratorium as well where the freeze doesn’t apply to internal promotions. Nurse numbers dropped 10% during austerity while senior management numbers rose 6%.

    Those who don’t learn the lessons and all that. We’ve a government of TDs who can’t see the forest for their balance sheets. If the pretty numbers say you’re saving money then to hells with the reality.

    28
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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    May 15th 2019, 11:54 PM

    HSE spent €82.5m on agency staff in 2010 however by 2018 the spend on agency staff had escalated to €318m…..a 246% increase!
    Privatisation of healthcare at higher costs is not the correct solution to retention and recruitment crisis in healthcare because the problems are caused by bad policies,not listening to concerns/solutions from healthcare staff&plus having no URGENT EMERGENCY RESPONSES to National emergency in health!

    16
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    Mute Adrian
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    May 15th 2019, 10:50 PM

    Harris is a national embarassment in that job. They’re all very poor but harris is the most damaging.

    39
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    Mute Adrian
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    May 15th 2019, 10:58 PM

    In the middle of a housing crisis with records homeless and a public health crisis with record waiting lists and people going up north and abroad for treatment, i hear that in certain parts of the country, the local council has recently just managed to completely resurface the same stretch of road twice in about as many months.

    17
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    Mute Ian McNulty
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    May 15th 2019, 11:13 PM

    Seriously, what is this government doing to the health system, we know it was bad / broken but it’s getting worse day by day, S Harris is incompetent & needs to be sacked, not walk away with a massive pay out & pension, sacked!
    But no doubt, Leo will come riding in on his horses& Dave him again.
    The sick are getting sicker & the TD’s creaming us.

    24
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    Mute TamuMassif2019
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    May 15th 2019, 11:48 PM

    But aren’t large numbers of doctors and especially nurses leaving the HSE each week?

    10
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    Mute Padraic O Sullivan
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    May 15th 2019, 10:09 PM

    We definitely need more ‘ Dr Nick Riviera’ doctors

    8
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    Mute @mdmak33
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    May 15th 2019, 11:55 PM

    My God it gets worse every day, this is a result of the ridiculous overspend on the NCH but Harris will not admit it,I will say it again, FG are the cause of many many loss of life of loved ones,through ignorant arrogance and lack of empathy, they dont give a

    18
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    Mute Michael
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    May 15th 2019, 10:45 PM

    Fine Gael the party that couldn’t run a piss up in a brewery and fianna fail the little lap dogs just to be in gov…there has to be something else bar them or SF or labour…

    21
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    Mute Justin Hanley
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    May 16th 2019, 9:48 AM

    Harris is a moron and a waste of space .

    4
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