The Silence of the Lions

To Mr. Krasen Kralev,

To Mr. Borislav Mikhailov,

To prime ministers, popes, patriarchs,

To media, journalists, oligarchs,

To the proud, sleeping Bulgarian people.

After a night like Monday, words come more easily than sleep. Once again, we saw how sport can reflect the state of an entire country. Whether it is shameful to lose to a strong team in your own stadium, and by 6-0, I leave to other people to comment. Whether it is shameful to succumb to the pressure of a strong Western European lobby, which had brought things to the point that weeks before the match the English national football team openly declared that in case of racist acts by the fans, they would leave the stadium, I also leave without comment. They came, "scolded" for racism, they were looking for it under every tree and stone, and a handful of fans were happy to provide it to them. A disgrace in a sporting and technical sense, a disgrace in every other respect.

And while in the great game there is no dispute – we are not competition, in the greater game of politics and interests we are even worse. Toothless Bulgaria, ready to give in to the slightest pressure from outside, both on the field and in politics. Convenient, always there when someone needs to be crushed. From 6 super expensive planes, which our "smart people" bought, to squatting for gas projects, nuclear power plants and what not.

When the bosses say, we obey without complaint. We keep quiet, bow our heads and act. Never in our entire football history have we had more characterless losers, but I suppose this is also relevant for the leaders of the otherwise glorious Bulgarian people. What we saw yesterday on the field, we also see in the state government.

Regarding the accusations of racism – Bulgaria was, is, and will be in a key place, - the “entrance to Europe”, from where for millennia different nations, cultures, people have passed, stayed and left. Whether we are Thracians, Bulgarians, Slavs or rather a mixture of all this, scientists will say. However, history does not tell us about xenophobic kings, about mass killings of peoples, just because of the color of their skin. On the contrary. While the terrible Wehrmacht crushes a weak Europe, Bulgaria, the ally of the Third Reich, saves thousands of Jews from the fate destined for them in the West. What racism… What xenophobia… Tsar Peter is tolerant, Khan Krum is tolerant too.

While a few decades ago, "Tolerant" Britain kept India as a colony, prohibiting their independence, we coexist, in our cozy Balkan climate - all kinds and people. Maybe that's why we are so wild, because of the incredible mixture... When England colonized 1/3 of the world, Bulgaria IS a colony, a province, of foreign-speaking and foreign-faith sultans. A short period of 500 years of Turkish "presence". In which the Bulgarians are not a subject, but an object of racism.

So thank you to our English colleagues for the numerous lessons in racism, but there is no need. Here, in over 1300 years old Bulgaria, we have a saying – “The thief says – catch the thief”. We don’t need lessons in racism from slave owners.

Regarding the beautiful game called football, we don't need lessons there either. The art of this sport, at least at the moment, we don't master it. And God willing, nothing will change. The pain is not in football skills. The pain comes from the lack of character, from the apathy that has taken over football players, coaches, ministers, voters and political parties. The total refusal to fight for what is yours. To allow, just like that, without a fight, to take over your fortress - Vasil Levski Stadium, and the entire country.

In a month, elections will come again. And apathy will win again, convincingly, "I don't know and I don't care" - a phrase that always, in all elections, comes first.

Let's not blame the footballers, they are fine with it. Let's not blame the politicians, they are too. The jar of honey is open and everyone who can takes it. Some with a handful, some with the big ladle...

And the lions sleep. Sometimes they open one eye, look at the jar and see how it becomes more and more empty, then they close the eye, bow their head and fall asleep again. And so from election to election, from qualifications to qualifications...

The lion sleeps and dreams, even daydreams, just like that with his eyes closed. He dreams of glorious times, of good years. While he sleeps, zebras and gazelles pretend to be bosses, dividing up the savannah, robbing it. But even sleeping, the lion remains a lion. Even crushed, persecuted, slaughtered, the Bulgarian remains a Bulgarian.

There will come a day, whether in a year, two, or fifty, when the Lions will finally wake up. They will rise with difficulty, gripped by a long sleep. They will look around their desolate, plundered, but infinitely beautiful savannah. And then even the most "tolerant" and powerful empire will not be able to help those who plundered it...

Author: Nikolay Savov

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