The Chairman of the Bulgarian People's Party (PP) ABV and representative of the BSP-United Left coalition, Rumen Petkov, made a sharp analysis of the international situation and the challenges facing Bulgaria's energy security, emphasizing the conclusions of the Davos forum. Speaking to the media in Pleven, he noted that what happened there clearly demonstrated the absence of real European sovereignty and the inability of the European Union to protect its own strategic and economic interests.
Rumen Petkov emphasized that Europe continues to bear enormous financial and political burdens, without receiving adequate treatment or security guarantees. He questioned the unconditional support for Ukraine and the accelerated calls for its membership in the EU, without an objective assessment of the levels of corruption there, crime and long-term risks to European stability. According to him, the Davos forum has exposed deep deficits in European leadership and has shown that Europe is increasingly perceived as a passive payer, rather than an independent geopolitical factor.
In this context, Petkov defined energy security as a strategic issue for Bulgaria. He pointed out that our country pays the most expensive electricity in Europe, which puts Bulgarian industry at an extreme disadvantage compared to its competitors. The state is obliged to take decisive measures and rethink the effects of the so-called green policy and carbon taxes, which further burden business and the economy, Petkov emphasized.
Especially worrying, in his opinion, is the situation at the “Kozloduy“ nuclear power plant, where the systematic non-operation of one of the units, problems with nuclear fuel and delays in the supply of spare parts lead to serious financial losses and cast doubt on the efficiency of the plant. In addition, Rumen Petkov criticized Bulgaria's participation in gas projects with low returns and questionable efficiency, as well as the management of the Burgas refinery, where the decline in sales and workload creates a risk of fuel price increases and serious consequences for the state.
Petkov also drew attention to the accumulating economic and social problems - lost foreign markets, growing unemployment, depopulation of entire regions and the collapse of the educational infrastructure. In his words, the focus on geopolitical slogans and external pressure shifts attention from the real problems of Bulgarian society.
Regarding the domestic political perspective, Rumen Petkov assessed the behavior of President Rumen Radev as consistent and balanced and emphasized that the Bulgarian Socialist Party - United Left is a natural and reasonable partner for forming a stable government. According to him, the country needs a government with a clear vision that can lead Bulgaria out of the prolonged timelessness and restore trust in institutions.
„Bulgaria must uphold a sovereign policy, protect its energy resources and put national interest above external pressure - this is the main conclusion from both what is happening in our country and the messages that came from Davos“, said Rumen Petkov.