With the increasingly frequent attacks on ports and cargo ships, Moscow is trying to hinder Ukrainian grain exports. In the meantime, however, maritime cargo transport in the Black Sea is increasingly becoming an extremely risky venture even for neighboring countries that are not participating in Russia's war against Ukraine, writes the Luxembourg-based publication "Tageblatt" in its publication on the two attacked ships in Bulgarian waters. "The Turkish Chamber of Commerce has registered 226 attacks on civilian merchant ships in the Black Sea since the beginning of the war in Ukraine – most of them this year", the newspaper points out.
Bulgaria's reaction too late and too weak?
But it is not only shipowners who are threatened with becoming indirect victims of the escalating war in Ukraine due to the losses of sailors and ships, as well as significantly increased insurance premiums. Shortly before the presidential elections in Bulgaria, which will be held on October 25, the incumbent head of state, Iliana Yotova, is coming under pressure over the drone attacks, "Tageblat" writes. Her rivals accuse the president, close to Prime Minister Rumen Radev, whom the Luxembourg edition calls "Russophile", of reacting too late and too softly.
"Do we have a Supreme Commander or not?", the edition quotes Yotova's main rival for the presidential post - former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, supported by the pro-European reformist party "Continuing Change" (PP). The former deputy governor of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) accuses the former BSP spokesperson and former MEP, and currently head of state, of maintaining complete silence for seven hours. And in this regard, the Luxembourg edition quotes Gyurov's words: "Supreme Commander is not a title for ceremonies. Responsibility is proven in the most difficult moments."
In the shadow of Prime Minister Radev?
In the current drone crisis, 61-year-old Yotova has once again given way, and apparently to the initiative of Prime Minister Radev, in whose shadow she has been for more than a decade, writes the Luxembourg-based "Tageblatt". The publication recalls that the former journalist was elected vice president in 2016 - as Radev's deputy, and when he resigned early at the beginning of the year, aiming for the prime minister's post, she automatically inherited the presidential chair until new elections are held.
To the disappointment of the opposition, Radev, referring to the still unconfirmed origin of the drones, refrained from harsh reactions towards Moscow, the newspaper writes. Instead, the prime minister is calling for increased efforts for a "lasting peaceful solution". "Tageblat" quotes him as saying that "pouring money into this war is much more expensive than diplomacy".
The Luxembourg publication also notes that according to a recent survey (from before the drone attacks), Yotova is leading Gyurov convincingly in the electoral sentiment, but her falling rating and the unconvincing response to the drone crisis suggest that a runoff is likely. If the conservative GERB party, which did not nominate its own candidate, decides to support Gyurov in a possible runoff, sociologist Boryana Dimitrova believes that a surprising turn of events is not at all out of the question. "In this election campaign, nothing has been decided yet", the Luxembourg "Tageblatt" quotes her as saying.
Another European publication is addressing the topic: the Swiss "Neue Zürcher Zeitung" (NZZ) points out that within just a few days, three serious attacks on cargo ships in the Black Sea took place, in which many people died. Suspicion falls on Russia, which apparently wants to block an important Ukrainian export route, the newspaper points out. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is quoted as blaming Russia for the attacks. He said that Moscow is trying to make the western part of the Black Sea unusable for shipping.
There are serious indications that Zelensky's accusations may be well-founded, the NZZ also points out. The Russian Embassy in Bulgaria announced on Wednesday that the ships attacked in Bulgarian waters were not targeted.