My entry into parliamentary politics is in response to the call of Bulgarian citizens and their expectations for Bulgaria to become a democratic, modern and free European country and for accelerated European integration. The mass civil protests in December throughout Bulgaria, as well as in European cities such as Berlin, led to the resignation of the Bulgarian government. We want Bulgarian citizens to feel completely free, without being dependent on any oligarchic interests and to have the opportunity to develop their potential in their country.
This was written on "Facebook" by Rumen Radev.
Germany is the most important economic, trade and investment partner of Bulgaria,
with bilateral trade exceeding 12 billion euros in the last year. Bulgarian exports to Germany are greater than imports, which speaks eloquently about the potential of the Bulgarian industry. This is due to the rapid development of the automotive sector in our country, as well as the achievements of Bulgarian engineers, especially in the IT sector, since the present and future of the automotive industry, especially with regard to electric cars, is largely determined by the software that is created in Bulgaria. The stagnation of this sector in Germany also affects companies in Bulgaria, which is why some of them are considering redeploying their workers from the automotive to the defense industry, which is growing.
Bulgaria has rich traditions in the defense industry and a significant share in the global defense products market.
Bulgarian companies are well known in the world and are rapidly advancing in the introduction of NATO standards and the development of new technologies – in optics, electronic warfare, the production of drones and anti-drone systems. Therefore, investments by large German companies such as Rheinmetall in Bulgaria create both new economic opportunities and meet the requirements for strengthening the defense potential.
Ending the war in Ukraine requires more diplomacy. So far, the focus has been on military and economic assistance to Ukraine, but diplomatic means have not yet been used sufficiently. There is already a change in the attitude of European leaders and the adoption of a more realistic approach to the war in Ukraine.
Leaders such as President Macron have begun to talk about restoring dialogue with Russia and discussing the future security architecture in Europe.
We need to talk to Russia, because without dialogue, the security architecture will be based on rivalry and constant military thinking. As a former commander of the Air Force, I highly value investments in defense, but we must also be aware of the long-term consequences for our economy and social systems.
Ukraine and Ukrainian citizens deserve support in an extremely difficult time for them, but EU membership requires the fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria. The countries of the Western Balkans have been waiting for decades and are implementing difficult reforms in the economy, administration and rule of law. We must not forget about them while our focus is on Ukraine, due to the military actions. Rushing risks undermining European principles, and Ukraine still has a lot of work to do to meet the necessary criteria for EU membership.
According to the European Consensus of July 2022, the RSD must amend its constitution and include Bulgarians on an equal footing with other state-forming peoples, and only then can EU membership negotiations begin.
This is a difficult but necessary process, and we would like to see the RSD in the EU as soon as possible. We do not want borders and border checkpoints, but we want people on both sides of the border to be able to live, work, and communicate together freely.
It is strange that the decision to join Bulgaria to President Trump's "Board for Peace" initiative was taken by the Bulgarian government in the context of its already resigned. Strategic relations with the US should continue to strengthen, as the US continues to guarantee the security of Europe, but the Bulgarian government has bypassed all internal administrative procedures without notifying the parliament and the presidential institution. Bulgaria categorically supports peace initiatives, but they must be in accordance with our constitution, European law and all legal and parliamentary requirements.
The criticisms I have made about the way the euro was introduced in Bulgaria are due to the fact that the new currency affects all Bulgarian citizens and there are still different opinions in society.
Therefore, the most democratic approach was to hold a referendum. The introduction of the euro is the result of many steps, but the government proved incapable of dealing with rising prices and implementing financial buffers to protect the most vulnerable groups in society.
According to Bulgarian statistics, 30% of citizens live on the poverty or social exclusion threshold, and 22% are below it. And these are data before the introduction of the euro. Immediately after the adoption of the convergence report in June, prices began to rise in our national currency. Over the past 9 months, the prices of basic goods, food and especially services have risen significantly. The euro may have advantages such as encouraging investment, attracting capital and opening up markets, but its introduction should have been accompanied by measures to protect the most vulnerable. I thank the Berliner Zeitung for the invitation to the interview and for the rostrum provided.