"Progressive Bulgaria" won outright in the elections. General Radev reassures: We will continue on the European path, but critically

The early parliamentary elections in Bulgaria completely changed the political landscape in the country. For the past five years, all governments in this country were either three-party or did not have a majority in parliament. This time, the newly formed left-centrist bloc "Progressive Bulgaria" received 45% of the votes. This will give it about 130 seats out of 240 in the National Assembly.

Two center-right parties, one more conservative and with a reputation for corruption, the other liberal and reformist, each garnered approximately 13% of the votes. Another 7% went to the centrist party of the Muslim minority, and 4% to pro-Russian ultranationalists.

The new government is to be headed by the leader of "Progressive Bulgaria", Rumen Radev. He is no dark horse in Bulgarian politics. For almost 10 years, two terms, he served as the country's president. He came to this position from the military, where he rose to the rank of Major General of Aviation.

After the elections, journalists asked Rumen Radev about the main directions of his future government.

This is what Bulgarian news agencies quote. To a question from an "Associated Press" journalist, "What do the election results mean for the future of Bulgaria and its relations with the European Union and Russia?", Radev replied as follows:

"Bulgaria will strive to continue its European path. But for a strong Bulgaria in a strong Europe, critical thinking and pragmatism are needed, because Europe has become a victim of its own ambition to be a moral leader in a world that is now without rules. Therefore, Europe truly needs critical thinking, pragmatic actions, and good results now, especially in building a new security architecture. Serious efforts must also be made to restore its industrial power and competitiveness. This is how Bulgaria will make its greatest contribution to its European mission."

To another media's question, "What will be the first thing you do as Prime Minister?", the leader of "Progressive Bulgaria" stated that our country faces very important tasks. The first is the election of new members of the Supreme Judicial Council, who, in turn, must appoint the next Prosecutor General.

He was also asked about relations with Russia. In this regard, he said that they must be based on mutual respect, and Bulgarians must respect their history and, in particular, Russia's role in our liberation.

"And modern relations should be based on a practical approach, especially concerning economics and security. I believe that steps will be taken regarding ties between Europe and Russia based on a security agreement. This is extremely important for our future," Radev concluded.

"Ask French President Macron, ask the Prime Minister of Belgium, Chancellor Merz, and other leaders who said that dialogue must return. Europe must think about how it will guarantee its resources, because without energy resources there can be no competitiveness," stated the leader of "Progressive Bulgaria".

After this, a reaction came from Moscow. "Certainly, the words of both Mr. Radev and some other European leaders about their readiness to solve problems through pragmatic dialogue with the Russian Federation are perceived positively by us," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He clarified that it is too early to talk about signs of changes in general European sentiments towards Russia, answering a question about whether Radev's victory in Bulgaria and other events would open up the possibility for a "thaw" in Russian-European relations.

Bulgaria, with its 6.5 million inhabitants, experienced a strong economic decline and a surge in corruption in the 1990s and 2000s, but it has seen good rates of economic growth over the past decade. It still remains the poorest in the European Union, but in terms of GDP per capita at purchasing power parity and average wages, it has already surpassed Belarus. As of January 1, 2026, Bulgaria transitioned to the Euro.

More about the political alignments in Bulgaria in a comprehensive analysis: Experts do not expect sharp moves from Radev

• 0
• 1
• 1
• 2
• 1
• 0
• 0
• 0