“A result Putin can be pleased with” is the headline of a commentary in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) on Bulgaria’s presidential election. Author Nikolas Busse emphasizes that Bulgaria’s pro-Russian president is remaining in office. The decisive victory of Iliana Yotova, who had already been serving as president, shows that the pro-Russian course of Radev’s government enjoys public support, readers of the German newspaper learn. “The prime minister need not fear that Yotova will contradict him, given that she was his vice president,” the author comments.
“Hedging instead of taking a clear position”
After noting that Radev has left the Franco-British “coalition of the willing,” which supports Ukraine, FAZ draws a comparison with the populist German formations Alternative for Germany and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, which, like Progressive Bulgaria, are also calling for peace talks with Russia. “In Bulgaria, the willingness to appease goes so far that even when targets off the Bulgarian coast are attacked, politicians hedge instead of expressing a clear position. Bulgaria’s presumed historical or cultural ties with Russia continue to serve Putin well in an increasingly discouraged Europe,” Nikolas Busse observes.
The pro-Russian orientation of Bulgaria’s newly elected president is also emphasized by the Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ). The newspaper writes that Iliana Yotova appears to have found the solution to how one should behave toward Russia and Ukraine—or at least appears very confident that Ukraine should not receive military support and that sanctions against Russia are not a good idea, unlike improving relations with Moscow. SZ notes that Yotova supports negotiations to end the war, as if nobody else wanted that. The German newspaper predicts that the EU will have a difficult time with Yotova on issues related to Russia and Ukraine. It also recalls Yotova’s bow before Russian Patriarch Kirill—a man who firmly supports Putin’s war against Ukraine.
“Just so as not to provoke Russia”
Michael Martens also emphasizes in FAZ that Yotova’s victory is a success for Radev. This victory will consolidate the pro-Russian course in Bulgaria, because both Radev and Yotova oppose military support for Ukraine, the FAZ analysis, titled “Just so as not to provoke,” also says. The newspaper recalls the drone attacks near the Bulgarian coast and quotes a statement by a number of prominent Bulgarian politicians who supported Andrey Gyurov’s candidacy, saying that the risk had been underestimated instead of an appropriate response being prepared. The refusal to acknowledge the Russian threat and to name the Kremlin’s responsibility for the escalation in the Black Sea “drastically increases Bulgaria’s vulnerability and the geopolitical risk for the country.” Apparently, however, the small number of voters who took part in the runoff at all assess the risks differently and embrace Radev’s rhetoric that Russia must not be provoked, Michael Martens concludes.
“Cheap populism”
Barbara Oertel has titled her commentary in the taz “Déjà vu for Brussels.” She points out that the miracle did not happen in the presidential runoff and that Iliana Yotova won, with a significant lead over Andrey Gyurov, the candidate of the pro-European opposition parties. “The cheap populism of the staunch opponent of military aid to Ukraine has apparently succeeded among most Bulgarians, although the 29 percent turnout is not evidence of excessive interest in the outcome,” Oertel notes.
“The former socialist Yotova presented herself during the election campaign as an angel of peace. She advocated dialogue with Moscow and declared that she would firmly oppose sending Bulgarian troops to Ukraine, although this had never been discussed,” the taz writes. The newspaper recalls Yotova’s restraint regarding the attacks on vessels near the Bulgarian coast, as well as the strange warning that unknown enemies of Bulgaria wanted to take the Cyrillic alphabet away from the people.
“Double dose of Orbán”
This commentary also emphasizes that the real winner of this election is the current prime minister, Radev: “Like Yotova, he still bears the imprint of the declining Socialist Party. Radev, too, looks toward Moscow and categorically rejects arms deliveries to Ukraine. Moreover, he threatens to veto EU sanctions against Russia. That is why one can speak of ‘déjà vu’ for Brussels—because with Yotova and Radev, the EU is getting a double dose of ‘Viktor Orbán.’ What this meant for Ukraine is well known enough. It will be interesting to see whether, and what, lessons Brussels has learned from this experience,” Oertel concludes.