It's time for political poker, where bets and payments are with the lives of thousands of people every day, to end, the head of state said in response to a journalist's question about the war in Ukraine

 

Condescension and reconciliation with the corruption of entire institutions and turning them into cudgels, with open corruption, with the capture and destruction of entire businesses, with the umbrella over the main characters in the robbery of Corporate Commercial Bank, with the simplification of the Bulgarian political space, inevitably leads to the degradation of immune forces of statehood. This was stated by President Rumen Radev to journalists.

 

When asked about allegations that the caretaker government acted in the interest of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms-New Beginning Party, the head of state noted the quickly provided by the Council of Ministers, upon request, building in the centre of Sofia for the formation's needs, where almost without warning, government officials remain on the street. Do we still need to ask ourselves: Who and how makes decisions in the government and what kind of rule of law can we even talk about while the Magnitsky-sanctioned oligarchy swallows the state with big bites, said President Rumen Radev.

 

Asked about the work of the National Assembly and the speaker not yet elected, the head of state expressed an expectation for more reason and a working solution, and not abdication to the next elections, in view of the situation in which the country is, as well as the environment in the region. It's as if the parties are forgetting their main task after the elections - to form a majority to form a government, the president noted.

 

It's time for the political poker, where the bets and payments are on the lives of thousands of people every day, to end, the head of state said in response to a journalist's question about the war in Ukraine and the US decision to allow the country to launch long-range US missiles to Russian territory. According to the president, any escalation at this time is a dangerous game with fire, and the return of President Donald Trump to the White House gives hope for an end to the war. Rumen Radev emphasised his position from the beginning of the war that Europe needs security, and Bulgaria has an interest in establishing peace, as our country is an immediate neighbour of the military conflict.

 

Asked to comment on the information about Romania's upcoming full membership in Schengen from next year, the president stressed that Bulgaria and Romania are moving together in this process, but urged not to rush into speculations about the expected positive news. The head of state indicated that at the recently held Budapest Summit of the European Political Community, he held in-depth talks on the subject with a number of European leaders, including those of Austria, the Netherlands, and the European Commission. The President also recalled that during his participation in all meetings of the European Council, he actively raised the question of our country's expectations to become a full member of Schengen.

 

Asked about the statement of the President of the Republic of North Macedonia, Gordana Siljanovska, regarding her request for a delayed entry of the Bulgarians into the North Macedonian constitution, Rumen Radev indicated that during the recent meeting between the two in Baku, he once again reminded his counterpart on the negotiating framework and the general European consensus of July 2022, accepted by all EU member states, as well as by North Macedonia itself.

 

These are international commitments, and Mrs Siljanovska, as a good lawyer, is very clearly aware that the commitments made under international treaties simply have to be fulfilled, declared Rumen Radev pointing to Bulgaria's readiness to help North Macedonia in this process, to quickly achieve the conditions laid down in these international documents, so that the door can be opened for the start of negotiations of that country for EU membership.

 

The head of state spoke to the media representatives after participating in the commemoration of the Ground Forces holiday in front of the Pantheon of those who died in the Serbo-Bulgarian War "Mother Bulgaria" near Slivnitsa. In response to a journalist's question about the problems faced by the Bulgarian army, related to the shortage of people, the president recalled that he has long been calling for emergency measures in this direction, not urgent, emphasising also the decreasing number of candidates for future officers in the army, as well as for the military.

 

I expect the National Assembly and the government to fulfil their promise, as laid down by law, to increase the salaries of military personnel from 1 January 2025, said the head of state. In his words, our country cannot afford, in view of the complicated security environment in the region, to allow the continuation of the outflow from the army. We must have a strong and capable army that we can rely on, and the most important thing in the army is the people, President Rumen Radev concluded.