President Rumen Radev on the forthcoming handing over of the first government-forming mandate: Political parties should stop playing with the fate of the people

"For the first exploratory mandate to form a government, I urge political parties to stop playing with the fate of the people and the future of the country. I have given them enough time to fulfil their responsibility, but to carelessly discard everything and push the country into yet another round of early parliamentary elections, with so many unresolved issues, is a total display of irresponsibility. I will give a little more time—just a few days—in the hope that the negotiators realize that their responsibility is not only to their party and voters but to the entire Bulgarian nation," said President Rumen Radev after the blessing of the Bulgarian Armed Forces' colours at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Sofia on January 6.

Regarding the election of the Prosecutor General, he commented: "This Supreme Judicial Council has repeatedly shown that it is woven with dependencies and is subject to political influence, especially as its mandate has expired. In this situation, this SJC should not be the one choosing the Prosecutor General, especially when there is only one candidate. This will in no way help restore confidence in the judicial system."

President Rumen Radev added that the main priority for Europe this year is to guarantee security in an increasingly turbulent environment.

"Attention to the combat capability of the armed forces is increasing, especially for Bulgaria. The top priority should be investing in people. Against the backdrop of the severe understaffing and the alarming outflow from the Armed Forces, I expect the National Assembly and the government to fulfill their commitment to raise the pay of the servicemen and this should be the first step of a comprehensive program to increase their motivation," Rumen Radev emphasized.

He also stated that the 2025 Budget should serve the interests of both Bulgarian citizens and the economy. "It should ensure the competitiveness of the economy in the long term. The budget is entirely within the prerogatives of the Council of Ministers and the National Assembly."