692bf7d7d186ed633956d19255d3cf0b

“The next speaker, Philipp Claeys
MEP, focused in his talk on the
problem of freedom of opinion,
which is increasingly under threat.
As a member of Vlaams Belang, the
banning of the Vlaams Blok was still
a bad memory, and he used various
examples to show how the freedom
of expression is being curtailed
by political correctness and is ultimately
being made impossible. The
corresponding “anti-racism laws”
would lead to nationalist-minded
politicians not only being muzzled
but even persecuted by the law. A
common Europe can, however, only
stand on the foundation of a broad
interpretation of the freedom of
opinion, for which reason the fight
for this should be given top priority.”
30
Claeys maintains close contacts to
other right-wing populist and extremist
parties and organisations. For example,
he attended the Fraternities’ Ball at
the Hofburg in Vienna in 2012, meeting
Marine Le Pen and Swedish right-wing
extremists, among others. 31
COUNTRY REPORT: BULGARIA
Proportional representation
4% hurdle
THE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SITUATION IN
BULGARIA
Various right-wing extremist groups and
parties were already forming just before
the political changes of 1989 and
the accompanying economic and political
reforms. They were above all opposed
to the growing influence of Muslim
and Turkish groups in Bulgaria, e.g.
against the Party Movement for Rights
and Freedoms (DPS) founded in 1990,
which primarily stood up for the rights
of the Turkish minority. A “policy of Bul-
COUNTRY REPORT: BELGIUM 22
23 COUNTRY REPORT: BULGARIA