All posts tagged: Bulgaria

Russia-aligned Rumen Radev set to win Bulgarian election – POLITICO

Russia-aligned Rumen Radev set to win Bulgarian election – POLITICO

In his remarks after voting on Sunday morning, Radev said the election was an opportunity to “take back” the country from oligarchs, but also called for relations of “mutual respect” with Moscow, based on Russia’s role in liberating Bulgaria from the Ottoman empire in 1878.   While these positions have helped him build up a base of support at home, he has avoided direct confrontation with the West and has generally fallen in step with the European mainstream when attending European Council meetings in Brussels. European funds are vital to the EU’s poorest member country and Bulgarian leaders have traditionally avoided any provocative antics in Brussels in the style of outgoing Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán. In the days before the election, the former MiG-29 pilot pushed back against the accusations that he was pro-Russian. “I don’t see what kind of pro-Russian position I have. I have completely pro-Bulgarian positions, I have pro-European positions,” he said. He refuses to go to into coalition with Bulgaria’s two most prominent politicians — former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and …

Bulgarians head to polls for eighth time in five years | Elections News

Bulgarians head to polls for eighth time in five years | Elections News

Bulgarians vote to elect a new parliament after mass protests brought down the previous conservative-led government in December. Published On 19 Apr 202619 Apr 2026 Bulgarians have started voting in the eighth parliamentary election in five years after mass protests brought down the previous conservative-led government in December. Polling stations opened at 7am local time (04:00 GMT). Polls are due to close at 17:00 GMT, with exit polls expected shortly afterwards. Official results are likely on Monday. Recommended Stories list of 2 itemsend of list Sunday’s vote is significant as it could bring to power a left-leaning, pro-Russian former President Rumen Radev just days after voters in Hungary rejected the authoritarian policies and global far-right movement of Viktor Orban, who cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The December protests drew hundreds of thousands of mainly young people to the streets. The protesters called for an independent judiciary to tackle widespread corruption. Radev, a former air force general, has said he wants to rid the country of its “oligarchic governance model” and backed anticorruption …

Can an ex-fighter-jet pilot run Bulgaria? – POLITICO

Can an ex-fighter-jet pilot run Bulgaria? – POLITICO

Viktor Orbán may be out — but his man in Brussels is not. Today on the pod, Ian and Sarah discuss how the Hungarian Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi is expected to stay on in the Berlaymont after his Fidesz party’s landslide election loss back home. They explain why neither the Commission nor the new Hungarian government are in a rush to get rid of the Orbán ally. Next, they talk about the frontrunner in Bulgaria’s upcoming vote — an ex-fighter jet pilot. It’s the eighth election in five years and voters are hoping for the country to regain political stability. Plus, chaos has hit airports around Europe as the EU rolls out its new digital border control system. People are missing their flights and waiting in queues for hours. Has your flight travel been disturbed by this new Entry/Exit system? We want to hear from you! You can contact us on WhatsApp here or on +32 491 05 06 29. Source link

Fighter pilot Rumen Radev looks to break Bulgaria’s political deadlock – POLITICO

Fighter pilot Rumen Radev looks to break Bulgaria’s political deadlock – POLITICO

Eclectic supporters Despite years of speculation that he would go for the prime minister’s job, Radev only finally revealed his Progressive Bulgaria project in March. While Radev doesn’t formally lead Progressive Bulgaria, he is unmistakably its face. The movement features a motley assembly of politicians close to him or some who changed their allegiance, and also includes military figures, newcomers and former sports personalities. Only six women lead party lists across the country’s 31 electoral districts. “His face is everywhere, which is probably what matters, because nobody else is recognizable,” said Dimitar Bechev, a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe. Progressive Bulgaria has attracted an eclectic range of backers. Polls show it has drawn some supporters of the pro-Russian far-right Revival party. Ahmed Dogan, the founder of the ethnic Turkish DSP party and now a major rival of Peevski, has also expressed his support. And VMRO, a smaller nationalist grouping, has formally endorsed Radev’s party. Yet the party’s program offers few specifics, and Radev has not positioned Progressive Bulgaria clearly on the political spectrum. His economic …

Can an ex-fighter-jet pilot run Bulgaria? – POLITICO

How secure are the Commission’s group chats? – POLITICO

Bulgaria is heading towards another tight parliamentary election this month — and it wants the EU to help counter malign foreign interference. Haunted by memories of coordinated social media campaigns targeting other countries in the region, the government is concerned that Russian misinformation could sway public opinion ahead of the vote. Host Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart, senior EU politics editor, discuss what tools Brussels has to counter foreign interference efforts.  Also on the show, a Signal group chat with European Commission officials has been shut down over security concerns. But this isn’t an isolated case, it’s part of a series of cyberattacks targeting the EU executive branch. Finally: We take a look at the Italian football fiasco that’s sparking a political row. Want to send us a message? You can reach us on our WhatsApp by clicking here or dialing +32 491 05 06 29. Source link

Seafarers trapped in the Gulf are suffering — it’s time we paid attention – POLITICO

Seafarers trapped in the Gulf are suffering — it’s time we paid attention – POLITICO

And that’s not all. Some of the stranded ships are now starting to run out of food and other necessities. “It’s not as easy as people think to get resources to the ships,” explained Hutchinson. “And now we’re beginning to see pressure on supplies getting to the ships. The firms that deliver the supplies are local. Fuel is up from $700 per ton to over $2,000, and these firms have to secure the supplies in the first place, which isn’t easy when the Strait of Hormuz is closed. And in a situation like this, delivering the supplies to the trapped ships requires a lot of time and resources too.” These ships are also carrying all manner of cargo — oil, gas and fertilizer, of course, but also perishable commodities and, most likely, even livestock. Imagine sitting on top of cargo that could explode at any moment — or die. “Some will be able to leave, but for the ones with U.S. and Israeli affiliation, there’s no way out,” Hutchinson noted. And Europe-linked ships may remain …

Trump’s ‘absurdly incoherent’ Iran pleas leave allies befuddled – POLITICO

Trump’s ‘absurdly incoherent’ Iran pleas leave allies befuddled – POLITICO

Despite the lack of concrete support, allies’ joint statement appears to be pleasing Washington. “It’s common sense for President Trump to call on our NATO allies to step up and do more to help secure the Strait [of] Hormuz,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Sunday. “Now we’re already starting to see them answer the President’s call.” In practice, Europe could deploy destroyers to help Washington escort convoys through the strait, said Sidharth Kaushal, a senior research fellow and naval military expert at the Royal United Services Institute, since the U.S. only has around 25 of the heavily-armed, missile-capable type of vessel available to immediately deploy worldwide. Europe could also supply counter-mining capabilities, he argued, one area where the U.S. is  “quite constrained.” Germany, Estonia, France, Romania, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Netherlands and the U.K. together operate roughly 40 counter-mine vessels, he said, compared to America’s four. “There is a role for a wide array of navies to play in this,” said one British defense official, adding the U.K. had begun examining possible options such …

5 fights to watch out for at summit of EU leaders – POLITICO

5 fights to watch out for at summit of EU leaders – POLITICO

Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Romania, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Bulgaria, Austria and Croatia are urging the EU executive to reexamine the scheme by the end of May at the latest, arguing it harms their industries and is contributing to rising energy prices.  But not everyone agrees, with two EU officials from ETS-supporting countries saying the cap-and-trade system must remain in place. The first official argued it is not contributing to the energy crisis and is actually helping Europe’s economy, with its revenues needed for the green transition.   On the topic of energy, the Commission’s proposed gas price cap is also likely to be raised, though not all countries are likely to get on board with that either, according to a senior German government official. According to the draft conclusions, EU leaders will instruct the Commission to “present without delay a toolbox of targeted temporary measures” to bring down energy prices.  Competitiveness, anyone? EU vs. itself Despite the crises crowding the agenda, leaders will still try to push forward plans to revive Europe’s economy, building on talks at a February summit at Alden Biesen in Belgium. Most of the proposals fall under the “One Europe, One Market” push to deepen the single market — easing the movement of goods, services, capital and people across the bloc. The draft conclusions …