Prime Minister Rumen Radev
Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Bulgaria will not back European sanctions that could harm the national economy or energy sector, as debate continues in the EU over the 21st package of measures against Russia.
Speaking to journalists in Sofia ahead of the European Council meeting in Brussels, he questioned the effectiveness of the sanctions so far, asking what tangible results they have produced in terms of ending the war in Ukraine or advancing peace.
He also said the conflict has expanded far beyond the battlefield. “This war has long since gone beyond the trenches and has spread to the economy, energy, sports, culture, and now it is starting to encompass religions. I think the time of the crusades is over,” Radev said.
According to him, Bulgaria’s position is guided primarily by economic considerations, particularly in energy policy, and he recalled past decisions in which he said the country blocked sanctions that could have affected its nuclear sector.
