Solon *and Dracon * or – INTERRELATIONSHIPS
(* - the second syllable is stressed in the two names)
NEVER MIND!
Do you see the roads of the toddling market economy, which is rushing and even gasping on the way, but already demonstrating European style? I do not mean the roads themselves but the multitude that is growing every day! What is necessary is LAW and order- that’s what everybody says! Sure, but let’s remember what Law and Right really means, or what was it like to be a citizen with regulated rights?
Whenever something wrong happens, all media are broadcasting that” Dracon laws are needed! ” Really ?! Is that so?! Well, let’s have them!
I wonder if those who demand such Dracon laws know who Dracon was at all. What were his laws and how well they worked for society? How time did they last and what’s their place in history? In fact, my dear, do you have a clue exactly what we need or what should be needed?
I would like to tell a story that had recently happened to me on the roads. I was astonished with the “creative” attitude of Bulgarians towards Law. The purpose of the story is to clarify the reason why this is happening.
For a decade, the distance I travel is three times more than the implicitly established sanitary norms. Numerous things happened; numerous impressions were got! In the beginning of the winter season, near a village in the Region of Pleven, I was overtaken by a red car. The rushing driver had just done the overtaking maneuver when a policeman jumped out of the bushes and showed the signaling disk for the cars to stop. Both of us stopped. The policeman reached the red car, and the driver opened the window, said something, showed something and the policeman waved his arm, a gesture which meant ”DRIVE ON”, and the red car drove off. I was asked to show my ID and I was ordered to get out of the car and see my speed recorded on the radar. having interruptions in my voice for the first time I asked the officer: “…why does he think that the first displayed speed of 115 km/h was the speed at which my car was driving, and it was not the speed the driver who had overtaken me and was now driving off with a smile on his face?“. I was given a smile by the policeman who stated verbally that I had speeded up with 25 BGN an hour. No matter how he managed to calculate this dimension, I felt I would lose temper, especially after the inviting question” What are we going to do now?”. “Do what you want” I said and silently clapped my hands. When I drove on with a fine in my pocket, I saw a billboard calling drivers and passengers for reporting incidences of corruption. On the next day, I sent a complaint telling the story to the minister of internal affairs. I was answered in two months time that after the case had been checked, my complaint was ungrounded(… what does it take for the complaint to be grounded?). I clapped silently again , waved my arm and said to myself ” NEVER MIND!”.
I remember one time in a traffic jam near the Ministry of Agriculture, a Volkswagen Golf driver took the right of way of a seventy-year old man who was on the pedestrian crossing. The old man got himself between “Scylla and Charybdis” and severely broke the back wind screen wiper in two, and then broke the two parts in two more, kicked the splashboard and hit the top of a car with a newspaper. The driver of the Golf jumped out of the car and hit the pensioner clumsily several times. The elderly “windscreen –wiper exterminator” swayed for a while, took out a pencil and demonstratively wrote down the number plate and shouted: “ I got beaten, did you see?”. Another traffic participant said: “COME ON, DRIVE,DRIVE! YOU ARE STANDING ON THE WAY!”.
Having these observation over the situation on the streets, I got used to push the brake when I see a yellow light after the green one on the traffic lights. Yes, I really did, but most drivers push the speed pedal! One morning I got myself in such a situation that…near the National Palace of Culture, on a crossroad, there was a yellow light(opposite me I could see a policeman on duty); I pushed the brake and stopped. The red light comes after the yellow one, and the traffic lights seconds began counting down from 55. During that time I was verbally attacked by a red-haired woman in her small “Mazda” car; she was obviously in a hurry. The verbal attacks I am talking about were worth using on our stadiums during the championship football matches. At the green light I felt my mandible go open, and the policeman was laughing his brains out and made the traditional gesture with his arm, meaning: NEVER MIND, DRIVE ON!”.
OK, I will, but where to?!?
Funny stuff, right! In fact, it is not funny at all. The above described banal situations show that those who apply law or should be protected by law have a deadly lack of creativity; as a result, there is a lack of faith in the significance of law- in essence, the state and society got all excellent marks in the lesson of retrogression! The genesis, in this respect, dates back from a long time ago; no wonder humans have always been bearers of positive and negative traits- the important thing is to be able to show how the positive ones predominate in our behavior; the society should tolerate, in every respect, positive occurrences and creativity, demonstrated by those who apply law. Practically, it’s them who govern society. The so created distrust in state institutions leads to accumulation of recoil energy that can destroy the model of society – this isn’t new at all, neither is it acceptable. If we look back in history, we will see that Levski did not fight the Turks or Islam,; he opposed the regress of the Ottoman empire, and he basically relied on the weakness of the Turkish police at that time. Levski is just like a new born child in this respect.
Good law is prehistoric and is 26 centuries old. Dracon was a Hellenic statesman who created very strict laws, which lead to corruption and other vice. As a result, society stopped functioning. He was anxious to impose strict order, and so he thought he would achieve social progress, but the opposite happened, because nobody wanted or hadn’t been able to apply the unnecessarily strict laws, and so ugly consequences followed. If I am to use some other terms to describe the situation I would say that Dracon was pushing too hard, so the public mechanism was fatally damaged.
Solon followed Dracon – he wanted war with the megarians, who conquered the island of Salamis. In the beginning, Solon’s war propaganda took the shape of poems and songs, since the war inspiring speeches were forbidden, and the public speakers were facing the death penalty. Solon was so good at this, that Dracon- extremely sure in his own infallibility and furious with Solon- nullified the law and had Solon take charge of the army against the megarians; in case of failure, the commander would be exposed to public death. However, Solon established strict order in the army, and the war was successful. The Athenians’ enthusiasm was so huge that after the victory they realized they needed an new leader. Dracon and his supporters were lapidated; the throne was offered to Solon in 591 b.c . Solon was elected archon with special legislative privileges. He was hesitant in his acceptance of power knowing that high spirituality is always resisted by mediocrity; the commanders are easily overtaken by self-interests and egocentrism; this leads the demos on the road to impudence. Solon reconstructed the laws in Athens; amongst his predecessor’s laws, which were too harsh and useless, Solon kept those related to murder.
Solon created laws in correspondence to the established or existing circumstances and needs; he did not follow his own drafts of! He encouraged the rich to be richer, and taught the demos a very important thing- people were aware that enrichment has its high spiritual meaning; they were encouraged to be united and trustworthy. Craftsmanship was also encouraged; the crafts were to be passed on to the generations to come. Solon was after the lazybones; he easily dismissed the public service workers, who were like parasites or demotivated the demos and were making up excuses, instead of being creative and enterprising. Those who were enterprising were granted special rights; talented, hardworking and clever, and novelty people were encouraged. The demos prospered and acquired citizenship confidence. Solon also created a law against the political impartiality since the empowered demos, preoccupied by their daily tasks, gave power to time-servers, self-interested and heartless people, even tyrants. According to this law, everyone was obliged to take a side in cases of arguments or conflicts. The present day compulsory voting in Greece is the consequence of this law. And the leaders are sick with fear of the priests and syndicates, when they raise the gonfalons in order to protect the rights of the demos; as a result, the leaders do their job as they must! Greek laws are aimed at helping the public processes and I had some experience on one of the boulevards which reminded me of this:
A nineteen-year-old Bulgarian young man was trying to drive his family car to a hotel’s car park in a Greek city. His relative stayed at the hotel. The young man couldn’t see very well in the dark and he took the wrong street, where the traffic was one-way. He was driving in the wrong way by mistake. A huge traffic jam ensued; the young man was really worried. All of a sudden, there came a Greek traffic police officer on his motorbike and had a few words with the boy, who created this chaos. The boy replied in English, and the keeper of the law did something that made my mandible open again… I heard the policeman say: “Åëà, ïèñî!”( translated in English as “come to me pussycat” ), and just in case he emphasized in English: “Follow me!” The policeman escorted the offending driver, made way among the clustered cars through the narrow streets to the respective car park and made the characteristic gesture that clearly meant " never mind!”.
I suppose the Greek law on road traffic regulates the same penalty as the one in the Bulgarian counterpart. However, the attitude towards its implementation is absolutely different. This case was abundant with creativity! The policeman was really useful for all people around- the offenders, the affected, and the observers!
Several years ago, Sergei Stanishev had an election speech and said he was deeply impressed by a graffiti: “ I love my motherland; I hate the state!” He swore that this attitude would be changed… YES, but NO!
Not long ago, I recognized my own thoughts in a speech by the President Parvanov “ .... the present day state serves the clerks, not the business!” – it couldn’t be truer! In old totalitarian custom the state before 1989, defined as the private property of the bureaucrat (it the state), had one goal - fighting against private initiative and property; it was not a life -and -death fight, but death only! It was OK then, but why now? 90% of our economy is already privatized and the question of questions is whether it works - production and services, and social activities in all of its incomes and expenditure and their derivatives. Unfortunately, one can still find the blind and deaf petty people who are awfully willing to see how an innovative enterprise is crushed. They always want only seeming civil rights( as our European image), but in fact, they will be happy with the absence of such rights!!! Since, for the reason of,…however…., because…etc.
Unlike the ones who work and have privately held businesses, the bureaucrat reduces his/her own responsibilities following the model of the “Ottoman policemen”, who limit or violate the rights of their subordinates. As a result, however, the bureaucrat hinders and devastates the public process, and everyone is affected. That’s how the bureaucrat makes the behavior model of the lazy people-“ they are pretending to have me paid; I will be pretending to do my job… I am not responsible; I will not be creative, and it shall come as it may! I will just wait for the next salary, that’s it. NEVER MIND! But it minds! In Europe, Bulgarian death rate is the highest, while birth rate and life standard are the lowest! Nobody seems to care about that- it looks like a genocide disaster! This lack of action is a motivation for excellent evaluation given to the bureaucrat; he/she may also be considered a behavioral role model- all of these are necessities for the yearned premiums.
Curiously, what is the motto of private business going to be, today in Bulgaria? Perhaps it may be like the one of Oswiecim concentration camps –“ It is hard to swim in sulfuric acid!” , say that in a low voice, because bureaucrats may get pissed off…Do you remember how Slaveykov had defined them?
Not long ago I read two letters. One of them was from the chairman of the board of ABI addressed to the director of NHIF. Citing the explicit text of Article 243 of the Insurance Code, the head of ABI is defending the rights of the insurers mentioned in the article of the Code and expressed puzzlement - why things are not happening, despite the imperative? The NHIF’s reply states something like “…yes, but no!“ In other words, the state authority is in favour of the potential insurance deceivers, and why not? Let them cheat, they are not real insurers!
The opinion of the National revenue Agency is almost the same. When they answered some insurance candidates they said that all who want a credit for a Life insurance, is not allowed tax incentives over the premiums, according to the Law of income taxation of natural persons. The logics is incorrect – How come one will have savings and insurance at the same time, or have credits?”. So what?Hello-o-o-o!!! If a person has an insurance and gets tax incentives of the premiums, pursuant to article 19 of the Law of income taxation of natural persons and gets a similar credit from the bank- then what? His rights would still be violated, right? Since 01.01.2006 the credit right for Life insurance has been regulated in article 240 from the Insurance Code, and it is quite sensible and meaningful. Have you got any idea about how many people get credits and have insurances with the money? Has anyone been to the bank recently to see that most often the credit and insurance go hand by hand; the insurance is a necessity for the granting of the credit. Is anyone committing some kind of violation in this case? Well, that’s it. The Bulgarian insurers have fallen into disgrace for some ten years now. NEVER MIND ( there have no insurers left). During a business verbal race, I heard an “expert keeper of financial rights” tell a person, who wanted to have his rights, that there are” rights of two kinds”- just like that, in a European style. My mandible was open again!
I remember an old joke, similar to this case:
The fox and the wolf met the rabbit, and the wolf said:
- Hey rabbit , do you have a cigarette!
- I don’t smoke– said the rabbit– I have no cigarettes.
- Let’s beat him– shouted the fox– for not having cigarettes. What have you got- nothing! Let’s give him a trashing; trashing is what he deserves!
So, the fox and the wolf gave the rabbit a flog, and on the next day they met him again:
- Give me a cigarette- said the wolf laughing.
- A filtered or a filterless cigarette– asked the rabbit.
- Let’s beat him– shouted the fox– can’t you see that he’s got long ears.
NEVER MIND– as if all “long- eared” insurers will have to make it – not thanks to Law, but in spite of its keepers. Good health and long endurance to all those who deserve. All the rest- they are wished nothing! We had been called so many names, and the circumstances we are into are so difficult to deal with. But I am sure we will! Once they let us be, we will tech people to have insurances! Once they get insured, they will stop crying on the state’s shoulder- it is a noteworthy reward!
EPILOGUE
I saw a morning TV programme where there was a Burgas tradesman who was stammering of indignation. He was complaining about some arrogant inspectors, whose inspection was a bit against the law. The victim had even got them on video and claimed they were drunk. Maria Murgina was defending them in her hard metallic voice. She even justified their actions before the whole of Bulgaria, by citing some internal regulations-“Law did not apply for them!”. Eureka! How come I had never created some internal regulations so far, since there are a few laws I do not feel very comfortable about!
Boris Georgiev, SiVZK chairman
THE SONG OF THE LABOURERS!
Silent people!
Poor country!
A teardrop of fire burns the soul!
Magnificent people!
Ancient country!
The blood is hot in our veins!
Alone the person is!
A loan- the life!
Our old mothers- crying in poverty!
Shameful cowards!
Liars - dead!
The last victory will be ours!
Adult-lifed children
Are dreaming of deserved childhood!
We were robbed of our dreams!
No more! We‘ve had enough of black fate blacksmiths!
The heart seeks to make an honest livelihood!
There is a rightful right to be protected!
A sea of people -
a synchronizing power!
There will be rise and falls, and growth in our struggle!
There will be rise and falls–
Yet, enthusiasm will not be stopped!
A hug of hearts will bring back hope
Create a wave of Freedom!
The name of Freedom will make us dream again
The shackles broken then!
Lyrics: Ilya Velchev
Music: prof. Naiden Andreev
Created by dr. Zhelyazko Hristov
