The commander of the Air Force (Air Force) Major General Nikolay Rusev officially denied speculation that he intends to enter the political race for “Dondukov“ 2.
On his personal profile on the social network Facebook, the senior military officer stated in his characteristic ironic style that such a scenario has never been on the agenda.
His statement comes in response to the frequent media publications and political analyses that have linked him as a potential candidate for vice president in a team with the current head of state Iliana Yotova. The rumors intensified especially after Yotova's official visit to the 3rd air base “Graf Ignatievo“ earlier this month, where it was met by General Rusev.
“Someone misled you, or maybe you created this narrative yourself, but it has never been relevant!“, wrote the commander of the Air Force. The general jokingly added that the only way he could aim for the presidency is if two parking spaces for F-16 and MiG-29 fighters are secured on the “yellow pavements“.
Political observers note that General Nikolay Rusev, who headed the Bulgarian Air Force in March 2025, has traditionally maintained a high communication presence on social networks. His positions have repeatedly sparked debates about the limits of political neutrality of depoliticized military personnel under the Defense and Armed Forces Act. Just days ago, he entered into an in absentia conflict with members of parliament over a written question addressed to the Ministry of Defense regarding his previous public comments, ClubZ recalls.
Despite the increased political interest and speculation surrounding the autumn elections, Major General Rusev remains focused on the modernization of the army and the acquisition of new combat equipment. Iliana Yotova herself previously announced that she would reveal the name of her vice-presidential candidate only in the autumn, which leaves the political engineering open to new nominations, Eurocom reports.