Comment by Emilia Milcheva:
In reality, President Rumen Radev does not want a real referendum on the euro, but an explosion whose detonator he holds in his hands. Although today the presidency is submitting to parliament the formal request for one with the question: "Do you agree that Bulgaria should adopt the single European currency, the euro, in 2026", Radev himself knows very well that such a referendum cannot take place.
The Constitutional Court (CC) has already ruled that there cannot be referendums on issues regulated in international treaties ratified by Bulgaria. "It is legally unfounded for the President of the Republic to propose to the Bulgarian Parliament to disregard the country's constitutional framework and its obligations as a member of the European Union", reads a position paper signed by over 40 professors from the law faculties of four Bulgarian universities. According to them, such a request destroys the trust between Bulgaria and its European partners.
This new attempt at a referendum is not for or against the euro, as was essentially the one proposed by "Vazrazhdane" two years ago and rejected by the parliament. The President's initiative a month before the convergence reports from the EC and the ECB is an instrument in another battle that Radev and his political allies are not fighting right now - the battle between Bulgaria's future in Europe and the shadows of Eurasian influence. In short: the goal is destabilization.
The anti-European forces in Bulgaria are aware that after entering Schengen, adopting the euro is the irreversible step for deep integration into the EU - and for breaking Bulgaria out of the Kremlin's geopolitical orbit. 28 years after the declaration of national consent of the 38th parliament for Bulgaria's full membership in the EU and NATO, the time has come for the country to reaffirm its consent again - even though it is part of these communities.
How Radev plays the role of a martyr
The quick reaction of the parliamentary parties with their request to block the referendum in its infancy looks like an institutional victory. United behind the euro, GERB-SDF, PP-DB, DPS-New Beginning, BSP-United Left have the fully sufficient 150 votes. And today, May 12, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov even directly called on the parliament not to allow the president's request for a referendum to be considered. "I call on the National Assembly not to allow the president's request for a referendum on the euro to be considered, because it is unconstitutional." He noted that joining the European Economic and Monetary Union was decided upon 20 years ago with the signing of the EU Accession Treaty.
For some, dictated by values, for others - by thin calculations for "absorbing" European funds, this seemingly logical response serves Radev's next political move: to take on the role of a martyr, of the "true people's voice" suppressed by the parties. Thus, the narrative that Kostadin Kostadinov, also a Eurosceptic and pro-Kremlin, was trying to build, sounds stronger here. "They are afraid of the people. I wanted the people to decide, and they killed the referendum in three days." This is what Radev is suggesting now - that if the politicians in parliament were really democrats, they should not be afraid of a referendum.
And the president is positioning himself as the "true democrat", manipulating a referendum that was doomed to fail from the start. In this way, however, he is creating a dangerous emotional narrative: the parties are running away from the people, the elites are hiding the truth, and Brussels is imposing its will. Sounds familiar?
Two candidates for president of Romania, one of whom has already lost his chance, but the other is fighting for victory on May 18 - Calin Georgescu and Gheorghe Simion, are talking exactly like this. They use rhetoric against the "backstage" and the "deep state" and declare themselves defenders of "true popular sovereignty". The speeches of Kostadinov, Radostin Vassilev, Ivelin Mihaylov in the 51st parliament are also in this tone.
Subversive attack
The quick "conclusion" of the referendum - in just three days, is not the end, but an opening of the topic in another register. Radev is not looking for a result from a referendum, but is entering into a pre-election conflict, using European integration as a bludgeon and suggestions like: "There is no debate, everything is decided behind the scenes."
This is not just anti-European rhetoric, but a subversive attack against the very foundations of representative democracy, and a sharp confrontation is sought. An opportunity opens up for Radev to sabotage the very parliamentary order - on the Russian/Hungarian model.
How many people would gather under the raised fist, sorry - a referendum, of the president against the euro is the latest task for Bulgarian democracy. Not as many as in 2020, when the head of state came out through the central entrance of "Dondukov" 2 to join the protests for the resignations of the third GERB cabinet and Boyko Borisov and Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev.
The party guards
Politicians are aware that European institutions are closely monitoring what is happening. Destabilization of the state would rule out the adoption of the euro, although Bulgaria has almost walked its way from admission to the Exchange Rate Mechanism-ΕΡΜ II in 2021.
According to GERB leader Boyko Borisov, the president is playing with people's fears, and parliament should not just reject his referendum proposal, but also not consider it. "Let's pretend it never happened", suggested the chairman of DPS-New Beginning Peevski. The parties from "Democratic Bulgaria" - "Yes, Bulgaria" and DSB were particularly harsh, while the "Continue the Change" (PP) were more restrained in their reactions. The PP's Facebook position notes that "instead of protecting the future, the president is acting against the country's strategic interests".
The co-chairman of "Yes, Bg" Ivaylo Mirchev admitted another reason for Radev's request for a referendum - "fear of the ongoing investigation into the "Botaş" affair, which could expose the president's role in a contract from which Bulgaria is losing billions." In January 2023, the caretaker government appointed by Radev signed a 13-year contract with the Turkish state company, obliging Bulgaria to pay Turkey nearly $500,000 per day in fees for access to Turkish liquefied gas terminals and for transmission through Turkish infrastructure.
Ironic comments have already appeared on social networks as to why the president did not request a referendum on the contract with "Botaş". It was decided behind the scenes, it damages the energy, and therefore the national, interests of Bulgaria, and "Bulgargaz" is heading for bankruptcy - with a loss of over 280 million. leva for 2024.
Radev's true face
The Russian war against Ukraine and the rearrangement of the geopolitical scene revealed the true face of the president, who in his first term spoke of corruption and media freedom. Thus, he created the illusion that he was an ally of the democratic community in the battle against the backstage - and it supported him for a second term. But it was this second term, which provided him with power and influence through a series of official cabinets, that showed the other image: a Eurosceptic, systematically opposing support for Ukraine - a position consonant with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
The president's initiative with the referendum may bring him closer to his political project, which everyone is talking about, but it will cost him dearly in terms of personnel. His legal advisor and former Minister of Justice Krum Zarkov submitted his resignation, arguing that the request for the referendum was a "constitutionally inadmissible issue", with which he could not agree. Another of his advisors and former Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Pekanov declared himself in favor of "full integration and deepening of ties with Europe". The young hopes of "Dondukov" 2 turned out to be representatives of European social democracy, not a network of Eurasian autocrats.
Kornelia Ninova with her "Unruly Bulgaria" would be more suitable as a partner for Rumen Radev. Why not "Vazrazhdane", who commented on his proposal for a referendum with the words that after two years of explaining that it was impossible, now their diplomatic efforts have yielded results - "and the president received instructions". They do not say whether they have read them either. But the president has already slipped on the national-populist terrain and lost altitude.
And Bulgaria will join as the 21st member of the eurozone precisely in 2026 - from January 1. So his question falls by itself.