site.btaBulgaria’s Voice Missing from Key Global, EU Issues, Says Vice President Iotova

Bulgaria is lacking a clear stance on major European and global matters, Vice President Iliana Iotova warned, criticizing what she described as a passive and voiceless approach by the government. Cited by the head of State’s press secretariat on Thursday, she said that has not seen such a complete absence of position from a Bulgarian government in years. “We’ve adopted a policy of waiting for the storms to pass, silently aligning with every decision from Brussels. The important debates are happening around us, not with us,” she argued.

According to Iotova, Bulgaria will only become a full-fledged member of the European Union not simply by fulfilling treaty obligations, but when its voice carries weight in Brussels.

She pointed to several major issues on which Bulgaria has remained silent, including the proposed U.S. tariffs on EU goods and the expected response from the European Union, the debate around EU arms purchases from the United States for Ukraine, and the European Commission’s new proposals for the Multiannual Financial Framework. “Two critical areas for Bulgaria are at risk – the Rural Development Programme and the Cohesion Policy,” she warned.

On fiscal matters, Iotova raised alarm over the government’s increasing debt. “This is indebting future generations,” she said. “The Finance Ministry has offered no explanation on the purpose of the loans. International credit rating agencies are already voicing concerns over excessive public spending. Where is this money going, when incomes continue to lag behind inflation?”

Iotova also criticized the lack of tangible progress on price regulation. “I’ve noticed a new pattern: essential products disappear from the shelves, only to return later at higher prices,” she said. She added that recent public statements by the finance minister are more cause for concern than reassurance.

Commenting on the reversal of witness testimony in the case against Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev, and the claims of pressure from the Counter-Corruption Commission, Iotova said the situation raises serious concerns. “Questions are multiplying, and no answers are being provided. This is a heavy blow not just to the Commission itself, but to the entire system we rely on for justice. The people’s protests are justified, and those of us who care about justice stand on the side of the rule of law,” she stressed, adding that it is up to the proper institutions to determine guilt or innocence.

She also criticized the government for what she described as euphoria around Bulgaria’s euro adoption, accusing it of ignoring the European Commission’s latest Rule of Law report. “The report was buried,” she claimed. “Yet its findings are deeply troubling. They should serve as a wake-up call for both Parliament and the executive branch, it’s high time for concrete measures and real legislative reforms.”

“Success will only come when there are clear and functioning rules in this country,” Iotova concluded.