Ruptly
"Deputy from Progressive Bulgaria (PB) Petar Vitanov warned in Sofia on Thursday that the country must not be drawn into global conflicts, as parliament debated foreign policy and national security following recent political changes. "We are starting work in troubled times. Fate has assigned it to us to make important decisions to preserve peace and the lives of Bulgarian citizens. And here we must be united, we must not allow Bulgaria to be used in global conflicts," Vitanov said. "And here I hasten to reassure the fear mongers who suggest that Bulgaria could move away from Europe. They themselves know that they are manipulating citizens and are doing it only to make sense of their political existence," he added. The sitting marked the first session of Bulgaria's 52nd National Assembly following the April 19 elections, in which Progressive Bulgaria, led by former president Rumen Radev, won 44.6 to 44.7 percent of the vote, securing 131 seats and an outright majority in the 240-seat parliament. The result gave the party the ability to govern alone for the first time in years. The debate also focused on a 10-year security agreement with Ukraine, signed on March 30 by the caretaker cabinet of Andrey Gyurov, which drew criticism from lawmakers over whether it bypassed parliamentary approval. Critics argued the move weakened democratic oversight and concentrated foreign policy decisions in the executive, while supporters said it was necessary for fast coordination with allies amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Iliyana Yotova is currently serving as president, having taken office in January 2026, following Rumen Radev's resignation from the presidency to lead Progressive Bulgaria into parliamentary politics. Radev is now the party leader and presumptive prime minister, with his government priorities expected to include the state budget, judicial reform, and implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan."
Go to News Site