Deputy PM Karakachanov to EP: Systematic pressure is being exerted on Bulgaria as a nation state

Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov, who is the leader of VMRO party (a constituent party of the United Patriots, which a partner in the ruling coalition) on September 18 said in a Facebook post: "Systematic pressure is being exerted by all ways and means on Bulgaria as a nation State, on Christianity in this country as a millennium-old system of values, and on the Bulgarian national institutions as the only barrier to the imposition of anti-national and anti-Christian values, norms and practices."

Karakachanov's post comes after the Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights Monitoring Group (DRFMG), which is part of the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) sent a list of questions to the Bulgarian government. The topics include the anti-corruption reforms in Bulgaria, freedom of speech, changes to the Constitution proposed by the government.

“It was reported recently that the DRFMG with LIBE asked questions in a letter to the Bulgarian government. It came after a closed-doors hearing of a few non-governmental organizations of notoriety in this country, including the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee again," Karakachanov says in his post.

"The officially announced pretext for the meeting was “the fight against corruption” as requested by those NGOs. It turned out, however, that “the fight against corruption” served as a smokescreen for raising once again the question of “the rights of LGBTI people”, “Roma-people” and “the Macedonian-Bulgarian minority', he added.

He says that some of the questions asked are "Why would the Bulgarian government not counter misrepresentations of the Istanbul Convention, and rather work towards the protection of women by ratifying the Convention?" Another question is about "the rights of Australian citizen" Jock Palfreeman. All questions are used to exert pressure on Bulgaria, according to Karakachanov.

He adds that the “fight against corruption" - an undoubtedly sensitive social issue - is used as a smokescreen for an attempt to legalise non-existent ethnic and all kinds of other minorities and same-sex marriage and to undermine the Bulgarian traditions and values.

“The political party I lead will categorically oppose any form of pressure on Bulgaria and any attempt to erode our national identity, to weaken the Christian values and break up the traditional family of a man and a woman," he said.