site.btaPresident Denies GERB Leader's Allegations of Overusing Government Airplane

In response to criticism by GERB leader Boyko Borissov that President Rumen Radev was overusing the government airplane, which led to Bulgarian citizens needing a civil flight to be brought back from Israel, the Presidential institution released a statement on Wednesday calling Borissov's words cynical and untrue.

The presidential statement reads: "The connection made by GERB Chair [Boyko Borissov] between the President's international programme and the evacuation of Bulgarian citizens from the State of Israel is cynical and untrue. The evacuation of Bulgarian citizens from the Middle East is also being carried out with diplomatic efforts on the part of the Presidential institution. The Head of State did not in any way involve the government aircraft either during the preparations or during the actual evacuation of our compatriots from the region."

According to the President's office, it is highly inappropriate for such manipulations to be made by a political leader when the lives and wellbeing of Bulgarian citizens are at stake. The office also refuted Borissov's claim that Radev had another international visit planned for Thursday.