site.btaVazrazhdane Leader Kostadinov Demands US Aircraft Leave Sofia Airport at Protest

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov said on Monday that he wants the American aircraft stationed at Vasil Levski Sofia Airport to leave Bulgaria. He was speaking to journalists during a protest organized by the party under the slogan "United for Peace in Bulgaria", which took place in front of the Council of Ministers building in Sofia.

Kostadinov argued that the caretaker Minister of Defence approved American planes to land at Sofia Airport on February 17 within an hour, without this decision going through the Council of Ministers, which according to Kostadinov is illegal. He also argued that in practice Sofia Airport is currently "an American base and a legitimate target for the Iranian Air Force." He gave the example of Spain, which asked American planes to leave its territory and they did so.

Kostadinov recalled that he was not allowed to attend the National Security Council, which, in his opinion, is contrary to the law. He also said that Parliament Chair Raya Nazaryan refused to convene an extraordinary session of the National Assembly, and the political parties did not ask to provide the necessary signatures for such a session to be convened. He also pointed out that President Iliana Iotova did not respond to the request to convene an Advisory Council on National Security. "We are ruled by heavily dependent national traitors who do what their masters tell them", said Kostadinov.

The Bulgarian State is monitoring the situation in the Middle East and is ready to evacuate Bulgarian citizens in the region, the caretaker Government assured on Sunday. A meeting of the Security Council was held at the Council of Ministers. After the meeting, representatives of the caretaker Cabinet stated that Bulgaria is not a direct target for Iran and there is no direct military threat to the country.