War is raging in Europe. The mission of the professional military is to safeguard peace at the cost of their lives and to prevent the war from spilling over. This is what President Radev told reporters after conducting a flight on board a Eurofighter EF-20 Typhoon II fighter of the Spanish Air Force. The Bulgarian President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces visited the NATO Combined Air Operations Centre at Torrejon, near Madrid.

Rumen Radev stressed that the military were dedicating their professionalism to the service of peace and security, with a clear-minded assessment of the devastating potential of war, which politicians and demagogues often fail to possess or ignore for the sake of partisan and self-serving goals. "Many of these politicians have never risked their lives, but willingly put the lives of others at risk," the Head of state noted.

The President expressed his gratitude to the Spanish airmen and technicians who, together with their Bulgarian counterparts, had guaranteed the security of Bulgaria's skies.

The Head of State awarded the 14th Air Wing of the Spanish Air Force with the President's badge of honour for their contribution to strengthening the protection of Bulgaria's airspace and NATO's eastern flank and for their excellent cooperation with the Bulgarian Air Force.