President Radev: 'Peevski and Borissov Are Dismantling the State'

President Rumen Radev said this evening, November 21, that Bulgaria’s statehood is being “dismantled” by Delyan Peevski (MRF-New Beginning Leader) and Boyko Borissov (GERB-UDF Leader), accusing the governing majority of breaching the Constitution by refusing to consider a national referendum initiative.

“I want to congratulate all Bulgarian citizens who are fighting for the referendum, as well as those protesting against abuses of power. They may have different motivations, but they share one common cause – Bulgaria, because Peevski and Borissov are dismantling the state,” Radev told reporters.

“By refusing even to review the referendum, the governing parties have trampled on the Constitution and on the rights of Bulgarians. The authorities may still display the outward symbols of power – limousines, offices adorned with the coat of arms, microphones – but they no longer have legitimacy and feel no shame in using the institutions they have captured as cudgels. The anger provoked by lawlessness will fall upon those who create it. This is a painful but inevitable scenario when politicians refuse to hear the voice of the people,” he said.

Radev added that it was vital for citizens to “understand where Bulgaria is heading under this type of backroom governance – which is no longer even behind the scenes, but quite overt. Above the government sits a superstructure that leads Bulgaria neither towards Europe nor towards a normal democracy.”

Asked whether he was familiar with the details of a proposal to close down the State Aviation Operator the President responded:

“The trademark of the ringleader of the government, who sits in the front row of Parliament for the cameras but flies to Dubai every week on a private Falcon jet, is to ruin and sell off everything he touches. If we allow him to continue, the state will be next. For now, I have only heard of their intentions; we shall see what actions follow.”

Radev also commented on Donald Trump’s proposed peace plan for ending the war in Ukraine.

“For three years, as you may recall, I have been warning of the inevitable, but some preferred utopia and weapons over reality and diplomacy. Diplomacy could have prevented the loss of many, many human lives and the vast destruction we are now witnessing,” he said.