Battles for Truth in a "Country in Clinical Condition"
Battles for Truth in a "Country in Clinical Condition"

Author(s): Aleksander Kiossev
Subject(s): Studies in violence and power, Social Norms / Social Control, Penal Policy
Published by: Centre for Advanced Study Sofia (CAS)
Summary/Abstract: In this paper I will focus on the crisis functioning of the institutions under public and media pressure. Institutions whose function is to provide truth and justice will be discussed: I will look at them in the light of one particular case which sparked incredible public debate in Bulgaria in 2001 and caused a clash between the fi rst (the executive), the third (the judiciary) and the fourth ‘power’ (the media), provoked nationwide outrage, and brought Bulgaria to the brink of a political and institutional crisis in a truly unprecedented way. The focus of my analysis will be the ‘truth discourses’ of these branches of power, and more specifically the critical intertwining of ‘truths’ produced by the Bulgarian executive, media and judicial institutions about the case in question.

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