Rumen Radev

President Rumen Radev emphasized the urgency for political parties to form a government and take responsibility for governing the country during a visit to Athens. He reiterated that this is the primary objective following the elections.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has asserted that the question is not if, but when Ukraine will join NATO, indicating that the timeline will depend on battlefield developments and the achievement of a sustainable and just peace.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has handed the first exploratory mandate to form a government to Rosen Zhelyazkov, the nominee for Prime Minister from the largest parliamentary group, GERB. In accepting the mandate, President Radev emphasized the significant responsibility given the fragmented parliament and low voter turnout, which could impact institutional legitimacy.

President Rumen Radev will hand over a mandate to form a government to the largest parliamentary group, GERB, on July 1, 2024, at 9:00 a.m., as per Article 99, paragraph 1 of Bulgaria's Constitution. This decision marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing efforts to establish a new cabinet within the 50th National Assembly, according to an announcement from the president's press center.

Bulgaria's Minister of Defense, Atanas Zapryanov, clarified Bulgaria's stance on its support for Ukraine, emphasizing that it aligns with both national and NATO positions against aggression.

President Rumen Radev, after awaiting the official decision designating him as leader of Bulgaria's delegation to the upcoming NATO summit in July, has declined the role. The decision comes in light of disagreements with certain state positions adopted by the Council of Ministers, which formulates the country's foreign policy according to the constitution.

Update: President Rumen Radev, after anticipating his official designation as leader of Bulgaria's delegation to the upcoming NATO summit in July, has declined the role due to disagreements with certain state positions adopted by the Council of Ministers, which shapes the country's foreign policy as per the constitution.

Bulgaria's political landscape remains in disarray, with no party able to form a stable government, according to Boyko Borissov, leader of GERB. Borissov lamented that the current situation is hampering Bulgaria's progress towards joining the Eurozone, a goal that he believes could have been achieved if a stable government, led by GERB, was in place.

Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has firmly stated that his country "will not kneel before Bulgaria," responding to recent remarks by Bulgarian leaders Boyko Borissov and President Rumen Radev.

Representatives of the Bulgarian right-wing "Greantess" (Velichie) party, including Nikolay Markov, Victoria Vasileva, Darin Georgiev, and Georgi Kukov, attended consultations with President Rumen Radev as part of the ongoing discussions preceding the assignment of the exploratory mandate for forming a new government.