Bulgaria sparks fury in wake of Weinstein scandal with promotional video featuring a man meeting a woman before message saying: 'Here, a no might mean yes'

  • Film tells the story of  encounter between a Bulgarian woman and a foreigner
  • 'A no might mean yes,' refers to Balkan custom of shaking the head to mean yes
  • The local quirk is a guidebook staple, but takes a darker turn in the context of the Harvey Weinstein scandal

Bulgaria has defended a promotional video launching its EU presidency, which elicited furious calls that it be withdrawn in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal.

Titled 'You can't help falling in love with her at first sight', the four-minute PR film tells the story of a chance encounter on train between a handsome young foreigner and a Bulgarian woman.

'Bulgaria: when you first meet her, you might get the wrong message,' the voiceover says as the pair get acquainted and proceed to a breathless tour of Bulgarian landscapes.

Bulgaria has defended a promotional video launching its EU presidency which includes the phrase: 'Here, a no might mean yes'

Bulgaria has defended a promotional video launching its EU presidency which includes the phrase: 'Here, a no might mean yes'

'Remember here a no might mean yes. Not that she is trying to confuse you, she is inviting you to get to know her yourself,' it says.

The video is referring to the west Balkan custom of shaking the head in a way that most of the world would interpret as a no, but in Bulgaria actually means yes.

The local quirk is a guidebook staple, but takes a darker turn in the context of the Harvey Weinstein scandal that has made headlines around the world.

That scandal had a seismic effect on attitudes toward sexual misconduct following a wave of allegations that movie mogul Weinstein used his powerful position to force sex on dozens of women.

Titled 'You can't help falling in love with her at first sight', the film tells the story of a chance encounter on train between a handsome young foreigner and a Bulgarian woman

Titled 'You can't help falling in love with her at first sight', the film tells the story of a chance encounter on train between a handsome young foreigner and a Bulgarian woman

In the film, the pair get acquainted and proceed to a breathless tour of Bulgarian landscapes

In the film, the pair get acquainted and proceed to a breathless tour of Bulgarian landscapes

It sparked the #MeToo campaign that has since shaken artistic, media and political circles globally. 

'We regret to hear that there has been some misunderstanding about the video,' the Bulgarian presidency said on its Twitter account.

'It clearly refers to the Bulgarian habit of head-shaking in agreement,' it said.

Greens party MEP Karima Delli (pictured) called for the video to be deleted after it became a source of shock and derision in EU circles

Greens party MEP Karima Delli (pictured) called for the video to be deleted after it became a source of shock and derision in EU circles

The Bulgarian presidency insisted it 'is committed to equal opportunities and non-discrimination' and said 'this important debate should not be trivialised'

The Bulgarian presidency insisted it 'is committed to equal opportunities and non-discrimination' and said 'this important debate should not be trivialised'

The Bulgarian presidency insisted it 'is committed to equal opportunities and non-discrimination' and said 'this important debate should not be trivialised'.

Bulgaria's tweet came in response to a call by Greens party MEP Karima Delli to delete the video after it became a source of shock and derision in EU circles.

'A no never means yes!' Delli said in a tweet. 'This is a basic principle of consent and respect for women. I demand its removal.'

Former Soviet bloc Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007 and took over its rotating six month presidency at the start of January.

The local quirk is a guidebook staple, but takes a darker turn in the context of the Harvey Weinstein scandal that has made headlines around the world. Above, Weinstein in May 2017

The local quirk is a guidebook staple, but takes a darker turn in the context of the Harvey Weinstein scandal that has made headlines around the world. Above, Weinstein in May 2017

 

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