Bulgaria joined a declaration condemning Russian aggression, but shortly afterwards Yotova distanced herself from the statement. Are we an ally of Ukraine or are we on Russia's side? Yotova owes an answer to this question.
By Alexander Detev:
Donald Trump claims that the right of might rules the world, while Emmanuel Macron declares himself in favor of a return to international order and against the "laws of the jungle". Netanyahu declared that Israel would take its war "to the end", and many delegates walked out of the hall in protest at his country's actions in Gaza and the West Bank.
Sergey Lavrov rejected the proposal for a ceasefire in Ukraine, and President Zelensky called for curbing Russia's ability to continue the war. Nepal is demanding reparations for countries that suffer from climate change without contributing to it. The island nation of Nauru announced a name change to Nauero to protect its identity.
Criticism of the UN and its absolute inability to stop military conflicts around the world has been growing for years. But forums like the General Assembly provide a clear direction. Speeches from its rostrum tell us where states stand, what goals they pursue, what values define them, and what alliances they participate in.
In Art. 92, para. 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria states that the president "embodies the unity of the nation and represents the Republic of Bulgaria in international relations". Therefore, it is logical that the head of state should represent the country at the UN General Assembly. As long as he has an idea of what exactly he represents and where his country stands.
Yotova, peace and love
Bulgarian President Iliana Yotova took to the stage in New York to call for more "actions" and for Europe to guarantee its security. How and by whom? It was not clear. Once again, Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine was portrayed as a given - a problem that is there and can be resolved with goodwill and dialogue.
The Russian side refuses this dialogue. She confirmed it on the same stage where Yotova spoke. The Bulgarian president did not mention this. There was also a lack of specifics regarding the situation in the Middle East, but at least we heard that Bulgaria supports the two-state solution. Regarding Iran, we understood that nuclear weapons are a bad thing, and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is also a bad thing. Thank you, we didn't know.
Bulgaria nevertheless got into specifics together with its partners, joining a statement condemning Russian aggression, attacks on civilian objects, and attempts to block Ukrainian grain supplies via the Black Sea. Together with 50 other countries, Bulgaria expressed solidarity with Ukraine, which is calling for a ceasefire and an end to the bloodshed. It expressed it… for a moment.
Whose side is Bulgaria on?
"The Bulgarian national position was not fully reflected in the statement," the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to our inquiry regarding the document. Iliana Yotova went one step further: "The Bulgarian state had no opportunity to express reservations on the position provided, nor were the proposals for editing accepted", she said, distancing herself from the statement.
And here come the questions:
1. What proposals for editing did Bulgaria have? Isn't it "concerned by Russia's escalation against the civilian population and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine" or isn't it insisting that "Russia agree to a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire", as Ukraine has already done? The statement ends with the following: "Russia must stop its aggression, accept the ceasefire and fully engage in negotiations for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in accordance with international law". What is Iliana Yotova opposed to - the peace she so longs for, or international law?
2. Is Ukraine an ally of Bulgaria? If so, why doesn't the country support its ally? If not, why doesn't Rumen Radev's new government revise the cooperation agreement with Kiev, which Andrey Gyurov's cabinet signed and against which both Radev and Yotova grumbled at the time? "Dondukov" 1 and "Dondukov" 2 are obviously working in sync on foreign policy - the answer we received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proves it. It says that the "Bulgarian national position" is expressed precisely by Yotova. Let them tell us in sync what goals this foreign policy pursues - especially before elections in which they are fighting for all power.
3. If, according to Yotova, "European security policy must be rethought", why does Bulgaria refuse to participate in this process? The country does not join the anti-drone coalition and the so-called Coalition of the Willing, which aim to guarantee the security of the continent. At the same time, however, it signs various documents in Brussels and Kiev that support the arming of the Old Continent and sanctions against Russia. On paper we are there, in practice - not.
Awaiting unambiguous answers
At the beginning of the campaign, the candidates for "Dondukov" 2 must answer unambiguously what positions, values, and alliances of Bulgaria they will defend. This means that Andrey Gyurov will have to be able to assess the actions of the United States in Iran - a topic that has obviously been difficult for him so far. It also means that Iliana Yotova must answer honestly and openly the question of whether we are an ally of Ukraine or are we on the side of Russia.
This text expresses the opinion of the author and may not coincide with the positions of the Bulgarian editorial office and the State Duma as a whole.