The events with the Russian drones that entered Polish territory once again raised the question of how close the war is to Bulgaria and how our country will defend itself in the event of such provocations. This was commented on by former Interior Minister and diplomat Rumyana Bachvarova on “This Morning“ on bTV and warned that what happened was “a clear attempt by Russia to escalate tensions on NATO borders“.
According to her, NATO's reaction should be general and measured.
“The good news is that we are part of an alliance and we can feel more secure. NATO has accumulated experience and a concept of how to react. But each country, including Bulgaria, must have its own clear plan – how to protect its citizens and what to do in the event of a real threat,“ said Bachvarova.
According to her, we lack specific instructions for the population on how to act in the event of a crisis. “We need to know - do we stay at home, do we seek shelter, how will the health system react? These are technical issues, but this can provide peace of mind“, the diplomat pointed out.
According to Bachvarova, a key factor is trust in institutions: “Citizens can remain calm only if they believe that the state is telling them the truth and can protect them.“
Bulgarian crisis of trust
Regarding the case of the beaten police chief in Ruse and the reactions of the institutions, Bachvarova was categorical that the lack of official information and chaotic statements have opened up space for speculation.
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs must present objective information, the truth. Any incidents are possible to happen, but when there is someone who can tell you exactly what happened, you can feel a little calmer. In this case, there is no statement from the hospital director and the prosecutor's office," said the former Interior Ministry chief.
When asked why we have not heard official information from the health authorities, Bachvarova replied: "Either there are such instructions, or there is a fear that they will present some information that in the overall picture will be to the detriment of someone. I see all these efforts as an attempt to preserve the dignity of the police chief, but after everything that happened, we saw the opposite. Chaos is being created."
She called on the representatives of the Interior Ministry to let the investigative bodies do their job and then comment. "This crisis was not controlled, it became an occasion for political qualifications. The minister himself started at the first moment and gave the president reason to attack the government“, she commented and described the situation as “domestic“.
In the case of Nikola Burgazliev, who is accused of the serious ATV accident in Sunny Beach, Bachvarova pointed out that there is again an element of lack of trust in the institutions and gave an example of the statements of the young man's parents, who expressed doubts about the impartial investigation.
“This should not be allowed. All this chaos gives us reason to deal with ourselves and seek justice for ourselves, and this is the final edge before the abyss of chaos. This has become a model of behavior. "Everyone who is accused or has committed a violation says that they do not trust the authorities," she pointed out.
Bulgaria needs a state of the country report
She recalled yesterday's report by Ursula von der Leyen on the state of the EU and stressed that Bulgaria also needs similar clarity: “We need to know where we are going - what are the priorities, what is the future of the economy, of education, of our children. But first and foremost - the security of the state and of its citizens.“
Her conclusion was categorical: only through restoring trust in institutions and active public debate can a sense of stability be built at a time when war is getting closer and closer to our borders.