Bulgaria should not point to Russia as the culprit for the drone attacks against merchant ships in the Black Sea before there is definitive evidence. This was stated by Anton Kutev from "Progressive Bulgaria" on the air of Euronews Bulgaria. According to him, our country has sought assistance from the EU and NATO, and the Russian ambassador has been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “We cannot declare someone guilty without having sufficient evidence“, Kutev stressed.
According to him, at the moment there are not enough grounds for Bulgaria to trigger Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which provides for consultations between allies when the security of one of the countries is threatened. Kutev argued his position by saying that the incidents occurred in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, not in its territorial waters. However, he warned that the conflict is expanding and the situation requires a careful response, without hasty actions that could lead to further escalation.
Kutev supported diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine and defended the position that Bulgaria should not send its military personnel there. He also defended Rumen Radev's calls for negotiations, stating that a path to de-escalation must be sought and the risk of a catastrophic military clash avoided. In the conversation, Kutev also commented on the reasons for the Russian invasion, putting forward the thesis that Moscow had its own motives for its actions - a position that remains controversial against the backdrop of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Regarding the budget, Kutev said that the increase in incomes, including the minimum wage, must be consistent with the state's capabilities and not lead to deficits. He pointed out that no significant increase in taxes is planned, and higher levies on excess profits of banks and insurers are being discussed, as well as measures to support mothers and children with disabilities. Commenting on the case of the burned Starlink antenna, Kutev said that the responsibility for protecting private property lies primarily with its owners, specifying that the details of the incident must be clarified by the competent services.