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

Politicians from the government and from parliament are not defending Bulgaria’s interests, President Radev says

Rumen Radev talking to reporters, 10 July, 2023
Photo: BTA

Talking to reporters after the tensions arising between the government and the presidency following the visit to Bulgaria by Volodymyr Zelensky, President Rumen Radev criticized the government for their “lack of opinion and position”, stating they were following those of the big partner countries.

“I have always defended the Bulgarian interest, not the interest of any other country. The question is whose interests are politicians from parliament and from the government defending – obviously, in many instances not the Bulgarian interests,” President Radev said further.

Rumen Radev also criticized the Council of Ministers for not coordinating, beforehand, the visit by the Ukrainian president to Bulgaria with the presidency. “In this situation it would have been the easiest thing for me not to hold the meeting at all, but that would not have been a good signal to the 300,000 Bulgarians in Ukraine,” he said.

As to the intention to provide Ukraine with munitions, the president asked how come the National Assembly decided to give the government free rein to empty the Bulgarian army’s wartime stocks warehouses in just one day. "Try as they may to convince you that they will be refilled very quickly, that is not true. These processes take years,” he said.

Rumen Radev also criticized the decision to sell the reactors from the Belene NPP project to Ukraine, saying it was not just a question of the reactors as such, but of the fate of a second nuclear power plant in the country.



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

Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia

Regular flights from Sofia to the US expected from spring 2026

The first regular direct flights between Bulgaria and the United States are expected to begin in April 2026, Transport and Communications Minister Grozdan Karadzhov said during the national discussion “Tourism and Air Connectivity: Traditional..

published on 10/24/25 1:45 PM

The sale of Lukoil’s assets in Bulgaria will take place only after a decision by the Council of Ministers and approval from DANS

Bulgaria’s National Assembly approved at second reading amendments to the Investment Promotion Act. Under the changes, the assets of the Russian company Lukoil in Bulgaria can be sold only after a decision by the Council of Ministers and following a..

published on 10/24/25 12:04 PM

Priеmier Zhelyazkov convenes a meeting with ministers in connection with the sanctions on Lukoil

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov is convening a working meeting with ministers in connection with the United States’ decision to impose sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil. The meeting is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Friday. Premier Zhelyazkov..

published on 10/24/25 8:57 AM