site.btaDemocratic Bulgaria Seeks National Security Meeting over "Iran Row"

The Democratic Bulgaria (DB) coalition on Friday urged President Iliana Iotova to convene the Consultative Council for National Security over developments concerning Iran. The DB said the President should not sideline this format.

DB MP Bozhidar Bozhanov told journalists that "the whole row over Iran" is the result of Prime Minister Rumen Radev's long-standing views, which he expressed in his former capacity as president and then during his parliamentary election campaign earlier this year. Bozhanov said that Radev had fuelled public fears over "imaginary risks" related to Bulgaria's fighter aircraft, Russia's war against Ukraine and Bulgaria's support for Ukraine. "By sowing fear, he has now fallen into his own trap," Bozhanov said.

Commenting on remarks made by Iran's Foreign Minister during a conversation with Bulgaria's Foreign Minister, Bozhanov said it is for the intelligence services and the Foreign Ministry to determine whether the comments amount to a threat.

DB MP Ivaylo Mirchev said the Consultative Council for National Security is "far more important" than President Iotova seems to think. He insisted that it should be convened at least once every three months. Asked whether Prime Minister Radev should also convene the Security Council attached to the Council of Ministers, Mirchev replied that this is a matter for the PM's judgement.

Asked whether concerns have arisen because a second diplomatic note referred to different US plans for the deployment of aerial refuelling tanker aircraft, Mirchev said this is one of the reasons. "These matters are sometimes discussed in advance so that the host country [Bulgaria] can communicate properly with its citizens and also communicate with Iran," Mirchev said.