site.btaPresident Radev in New Year's Address: We Must Not Waste Opportunity to Change Bulgaria

“To regain our democracy, we must not waste the energy and hope that were born in the squares, nor the opportunity to change Bulgaria,” said President Rumen Radev in a televised New Year’s address to the nation.

“We are counting down the last minutes of the passing year. In the comfort of our homes, among long-awaited guests and friends, or in crowded squares, together we look forward to the new year 2026 with the shared hope that it will be better for our loved ones and for Bulgaria,” the head of State said.

Radev described the outgoing year as dramatic for the world. Wars have claimed the lives of thousands of people, but the first hopes for their end have also emerged, the President said, adding that Bulgaria must unequivocally support efforts for peace in Ukraine. According to the head of State, the risk of the conflict expanding has not passed, and “we should not rely on others to defend our interests if we ourselves are not capable of doing so.”

“In just a few minutes, Bulgaria will make the headlines around the world. The decision to adopt the single European currency is a strategic choice made at a contentious moment,” President Radev said. According to him, the introduction of the euro is the final milestone in Bulgaria’s integration into the European Union – a place that the country deserves thanks to the achievements of its millennia-old culture and its civilizational contribution.

The President is convinced that abandoning the national currency should have taken place only after a national referendum, but those in power chose not to listen to the citizens. “This decision was one of the dramatic symptoms of the deep rift between the political class and the people, a rift confirmed by the mass protests across the country, which punished the arrogance of the incumbent. The first budget in euros proved to be an insurmountable task for them and unleashed the accumulated discontent over the unjust model, corruption, inflation, and the arbitrariness of those in power,” the head of State said.

He underscored that the protests also showed that young Bulgarians no longer wish to save themselves only but instead are asking how they can help their country. The generations of Bulgaria's transition period also flooded the squares, and according to Radev this is the major political event of 2025: a popular consensus against the mafia. According to him, attempts to manipulate this consensus through generational interpretations or by inserting other issues did not succeed. People demanded democracy, justice, fair elections, objective media, a genuine European perspective, and a dignified life, Radev said.

He recalled that parliamentary elections lie ahead, along elections for a new president as well in the autumn. “It depends on us not to repeat old mistakes and to stop going around in circles. To regain our democracy, we must not waste the energy and hope that were born in the squares, nor the opportunity to change Bulgaria. We are ready, we can, and we will succeed,” Radev said.

He wished that today and every day of the new year Bulgarians would show that they are a worthy people not only through the achievements of their brilliant artists, scientists, champions, and young talents, but also through their everyday actions, through the challenge of being human.

Radev extended his wishes for health, joy, inspiration, peace, love, and prosperity. “In turbulent times, family and friends are our refuge. I wish that they bring you comfort and support. May the coming months fulfill your personal dreams and our shared dream of a peaceful, free, prosperous, and just Bulgaria,” President Radev said in his New Year’s address to the nation.