Thread by @niktraykov

1. As the governor of the Bank of England warns of what disorderly No Deal Brexit may lead to I decided to share a personal story from similar situation I've had the misfortune of living trough.
news.sky.com/story/mark-car…

2. It was the winter of 1997. Bulgaria was in the grip of hyperinflation. The economic pain was widespread and overwhelming. Only I wasn't fully aware of it.
edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9701/13/…

3. I was serving in the fast reaction forces of the Bulgarian army and had little contact with the outside world for months. Our stated mission was to be ready for rapid deployment to delay an aggressor advancing too much into the country before the rest of the forces could join

To be continued... damn work getting in the way lol

4. We weren't really expected to survive such eventuality, just to do our duty. As an aside I was placed in those forces as a punishment for refusing to rat on someone who had made (justified) complaint in my previous unit, but that's another story.

5. The conditions were kept deliberately brutal. Bullying, abuse and cruelty were the norm, encouraged from the top. Most had criminal or orphan past.Within the first 24 hours two of the new batch of soldiers I arrived with seriously injured themselves in order to escape the hell

6. I was told there were 2 recent suicides. Explained as accidents of course. I guess it was designed to keep us on the edge and combat ready. Add the gruelling miltary training and we kind of were.

One cold January night the alarm went off urging us to go into Full Combat Readiness. Full kits, arms and live ammunition were given out, the Infantry Fighting Vehicles lined up, ready to go. Soldiers lined in neat formations. Then we waited.

And we waited. No information was given. We knew it wasn't a drill. Just didn't know at the same time crowds of desperate people were protesting on the capital's Street and elsewhere trying to bring change. And we were readied to crush them.

Thankfully after many hours we were stood down. I often wondered what would I have done if the order had come. The truth is I don't really know. BTW in each vehicle there would be superior with the right to execute you on the spot for refusing to follow orders. Or so I believed

I've heard the Army being mentioned in different contexts to help dealing with the consequences of a No Deal Brexit. It brings icy chill to my heart. Once the military is on the streets you can only hope it will be used for good. Not expect it.
independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

Especially if the chaos and the resulting crackdown was planned in advance:

https://twitter.com/J_amesp/status/1046828583484821504