Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha called for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine and warned that the world cannot risk a new world war. “Only by anathematizing Russia, it will not happen“, the former prime minister said in an interview with “24 Chas“.
“No matter how cruel today's situation is, a solution cannot be found and a seat at the negotiating table“, said Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. According to him, a possible new global conflict would lead to losses that would not be measured only in billions.
Call for a solution with preserved dignity
The former prime minister criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's position against territorial concessions. According to Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, the expression “not a single square meter“ creates the impression that Zelensky does not want a solution.
He said that an appropriate precedent should be sought that would allow the conflict to be concluded while preserving the dignity of both sides. Saxe-Coburg-Gotha also expressed concern about the habituation of societies to hostilities: “We have somehow suffered. As if it doesn't concern us“.
Criticisms of the UN and the role of Bulgaria
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha described the UN as “completely meaningless“ due to the mutual blocking of the great powers through the right of veto. He called for compromise and reform that would restore the effectiveness of the organization, and stated that there must be principles respected by everyone.
Regarding NATO, the former prime minister emphasized that the main task of the alliance is defense, not attack. He expressed regret that Bulgaria had failed to play the role of “mini-mediator“ together with Turkey. According to him, the country could have used its relations with Russia and Ukraine to support the dialogue.
Assessment of Bulgarian politics
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha stated that over the past five years Bulgaria has lost a lot of time and money due to the frequent change of governments and the uncertainty in governance. According to him, this has prevented significant initiatives from being launched and has contributed to the escalation of aggression in political life.
Days before the presidential elections, he pointed out that the head of state must unite, inspire calm, listen and consult. According to him, the president must be a “mega-ombudsman“.
At the end of the interview, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha stated: “I am not an optimist, but a realist with a vision for the future“. He pointed to dialogue as the main way to avoid extremes and said that “the future depends mostly on dialogue“.
Sources: novini.bg, 24chasa.bg