Defending the indefensible

Sometimes things happen that force you to make descisions and complete actions that are difficult. One of the greatest threats to our way of life and our freedoms is to refuse to defend them. We have standards, that if they are not upheld depart. Thus it was that I found myself supporting the publication of the Danish Cartoons. In a similar way, though I am no supporter of the Vlaams Blok, I believed it was utterly wrong of the Belgian government to attempt to close them down through the courts. Beat them at the hustings, destroy their view with arguement not legal plaints.

Another case has come up that makes me act. It is the case of Dimitar Stoyanov, newly elected MEP from the Ataka Party in Bulgaria and the man who set of a storm of complaint due to his bad taste comments about Lívia Jároká a Roma MEP.

Today the European Parliament's internal newswire - Newshound - has sent through a complete list of the winners in last Sunday's Bulgarian Elections, (about which I have already posted).

Atanas Paparizov (PES), 55 — ex-chair of Bulgaria's EU relations committee
Bilyana Raeva (SIINM), 36 [NEW] — worked five years in a Brussels-based NGO
Vladimir Uruchev (GERB) [NEW] — nuclear engineer
Vladko Panayotovski (MRF), 57 [NEW] — geology professor
Dessislav Chukolov (Ataka), 33 [NEW] — IT specialist with a degree in European studies
Dimitar Stoyanov (Ataka), 24 — Bulgaria's youngest MEP, famous for his racist remarks about a Roma MEP last year
Dushana Zdravkova (GERB), 53 [NEW] — judge
liyana Yotova (PES), 42 [NEW] — former TV presenter
Evgeni Kirilov (PES), 62 — vice-chair of EP regional committee
Kristiyan Vigenin (PES), 32 — head of the Bulgarian PES delegation

Mariela Baeva (MRF), 43 [NEW] — consultant and novelist
Marusya Lyubcheva (PES), 58 — chemistry professor
Metin Kazak (MRF), 35 — international and European lawyer
Nikolay Mladenov (GERB), 35 [NEW] — founder and first director of the European institute in Sofia and former world bank consultant
Petya Stavreva (GERB), 30 [NEW] — journalist
Rumyana Zheleva (GERB), 38 [NEW] — professor in European studies
Slavcho Binev (Ataka) [NEW] — nightclub owner and anti-Mafia figures
Filiz Hyusmenova (MRF), 41 — leader of the ethnic Turkish party

In the light of this description I have sent the editor the following email,

In the piece you sent round today concerning the Bulgarian election results,
Newshound discusses Dimitar Stoyanov thus "Bulgaria's youngest MEP, famous
for his racist remarks about a Roma MEP last year".

I have no wish to defend Mr Stoyanov's remarks at that time, nor indeed his remarks at all, if he told me that the world was round, I would need to check.

Racism is a criminal offence. I do not recall that Mr Stoyanov was charged as such. If
what you say is true he could be arrested by the Belgian authorities for his email the moment he left the Parliament. This has not happened.

Yes his remarks were in bad taste, yes they were certainly controversial. However your own standards must require that you do not make criminal allegations, you are taxpayer funded. Those that voted for Mr Stoyanov are taxpayers and as such he as their representative deserves the courtesy that all elected members of the European Parliament should expect from the Parliamentary staff.

I request that you reconsider the wording of your article

On a related note the description of his colleague Slavcho Binev will have them rolling in the aisles in downtown Sofia.

Update

There has been a change to the website

"Dimitar Stoyanov (Ataka), 24 — Bulgaria's youngest MEP, famous for his remarks about a Roma MEP last year which most (but not all) civilised people found ill-judged, racist and highly offensive "

Not sure what to make of that.