Bulgaria’s President: ‘I am officially withdrawing my trust in the government'

In an address to the nation, aired live on TV, on February 4, Bulgaria’s head of state President Rumen Radev said that he was officially withdrawing his trust from the government.

“This government and administration are leading to the collapse of the state and depriving us of our future as a nation. All of this must be brought to an end. As of today, I am officially withdrawing my confidence in the government, which is not acting in the interest of Bulgarian citizens and is responsible for the acute crisis in our society,” he said.

“For three years, I have been calling on the government to act responsibly and effectively in the interest of Bulgarian citizens,” Radev said.

He said that he did not do so as a political opponent, but as a head of state with thought and concern for Bulgaria.

“Today we are witnessing an acute crisis in governance at all levels, a lack of will for reforms and to fight against corruption,” he said.

In support of his words, Radev noted the water shortage crisis in the town of Pernik, for which he said the cabinet refused to take political responsibility.

Radev accused the Cabinet of quietly pushing for reform of the Currency Board for which the Bulgarians had been waiting for clear explanations. In his view, legislation is being held hostage to lobbying interests, and poverty and inequality are deepening. (The Currency Board mechanism was put in place in July 1997 that pegs the Bulgarian currency BGN (the lev) to the euro )

The President urged to unite for justice and statehood, for the good of Bulgaria.