GERB and Democratic Bulgaria (DB) accused Prime Minister Rumen Radev's government of putting Bulgaria's planned partnership with German defense company Rheinmetall at risk after Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Alexander Pulev said the state currently lacks the funding needed to move the project forward and questioned whether the proposed terms adequately protect Bulgaria's interests.
The criticism followed Pulev's remarks that no final agreement for the construction of the ammunition and gunpowder plant has been signed. He argued that legal reviews indicate the existing framework does not sufficiently safeguard Bulgarian interests, claiming the previous negotiating team accepted the German side's conditions without seeking lower licensing costs or stronger participation for Bulgarian subcontractors. He also warned that financing remains a major obstacle.
"There are more questions than answers," Pulev said, adding that the government has already informed Rheinmetall about the financial difficulties. According to him, available resources under the SAFE mechanism would cover only a fraction of Bulgaria's expected contribution, while the hundreds of millions of euros previously envisioned in the state budget are no longer available. He argued that new European funding sources and revised financial plans would be required, making the project significantly more complex.
