President ahead of the April 2 elections: Political parties should take responsibility

President Rumen Radev on March 29 commented on the e-mailed threats for explosive devices in schools in recent days. He said there was no real threat to the education system and the upcoming April 2 elections. The security services are still working to identify the source of the attacks, he added.

President Rumen Radev said there are bomb threats not only in Bulgaria but in the United States and Europe as well:

"The law enforcement agencies together with partner services are doing their best to identify the sources of these threats and neutralise them, but at the moment, what you know from our law enforcement agencies, there are no real threats either to the education system or to the elections."

BNT: If there are such threats again on the election day, what will happen?

"As I mentioned, there is no real threat. This is really a hybrid attack with no real bomb threat, so I don't expect and I hope that the law enforcement authorities will take all measures so that there will be calm for the electoral process," the President replied.

Radev pointed out that there is no change in our position - Bulgaria will not export arms and ammunition to Ukraine.

Even private enterprises in our country that produce 155 mm shells for Ukraine go through the Interdepartmental Commission for Export Control, which asks for end-user certificates, Radev said.

He also reminded that the time of the so-called "triangular deals" is over. He called for modern fighter jets to be provided for the Bulgarian air force, as under the Constitution, the Bulgarian Air Force protects our skies independently or jointly with other forces. He also responded to criticism that he was going beyond his powers.

"Political parties, not the presidential institution, have long gone beyond the norms of the Bulgarian Constitution with their systematic refusal to form a government. It is time and I really urge them to take this responsibility and form a government. Otherwise, the Constitution is clear: the President is obliged to appoint a caretaker government when they do not want to or cannot or are afraid to. At the moment we have a combination of all these cases," Rumen Radev stressed.

Since the caretaker government has solved a number of severe crises and problems, governance will be much easier now, he said.