Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

PM Kiril Petkov for The Times: I can fight corruption but not Moscow's meddling

PM Kiril Petkov
Photo: Council of Ministers press service, archive

French President Emmanuel Macron said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is like a “war from the early 20th, even the 19th century," calling Russia "one of the last imperial colonial powers." The French president also accused the Kremlin of launching “a new type of hybrid world war” by opting to make information, energy, and food into “military instruments placed at the service" of the war, AFP reports. President Macron is on a visit to Benin.

France could provide Germany 20 terawatt hours of gas, or 2% of German consumption, during winter months if needed in the context of the conflict in Ukraine, French energy ministry officials said on Wednesday, Reuters reports.

The Italian company Eni said it would receive about 27 million cubic metres of gas from Russia's Gazprom on Wednesday, down from the daily average volumes of around 34 million in recent days, Reuters reports.

Talking to The Times, outgoing Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said he believes he has made powerful enemies in Russia when he ended the nation's reliance on it for gas supplies, and added: “We have curbed corruption locally, but we have discovered that we have a bigger enemy: Russian infiltration. We failed to understand that corruption and Russian influence are the same thing. Corruption is Moscow’s best foreign policy tool in the Balkans.” 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Plamen Dimitrov

Bulgarian union leader warns of BGN 17–18 billion shortfall in draft budget

Plamen Dimitrov, president of Bulgaria’s largest trade union, the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB), has warned of a potential shortfall of around 17–18 billion leva (EUR 8.7–9.2 billion) in next year’s draft budget...

published on 10/17/25 3:16 PM
Hristijan Mickoski

North Macedonia's PM rules out unconditional constitutional recognition of Bulgarians

North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said his government will not unconditionally recognise Bulgarians in the country’s constitution.  “Nobody has the right to expect this government to make constitutional changes unconditionally,” he told..

published on 10/17/25 2:36 PM

Bulgarian rectors propose Danube University Alliances

‘The Bulgarian Rectors’ Council has proposed the creation of Danube University Alliances,’ said Professor Miglena Temelkova, the Council's chair, at the ‘Days of Bulgaria in Kecskemét, Hungary’ forum. The idea is for the alliances to include..

published on 10/17/25 2:13 PM