site.btaUPDATED Bulgaria Not Directly Threatened by Middle East Conflict, PM Says

Bulgaria is not directly threatened by military actions, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said on Thursday. “Bulgaria is not a party to the conflict and does not participate in operations, and, as we heard from the NATO Secretary General, they are not involved in these military actions either,” Gurov told a briefing after a meeting of the Security Council at the Council of Ministers concerning the situation in the Middle East.

“I also want to remind everyone that NATO’s missile defence has been designed precisely to counter attacks and threats from Iran. And, as we saw in the case of Turkiye, it worked flawlessly. For that reason, we can remain calm and rely on this collective defence,” Gurov said.

He added that he has given instructions to the ministers responsible for security to speak clearly and openly with the public. “There is no hidden information, and Bulgarian citizens are our priority, as is their peace of mind,” the Prime Minister said. According to him, institutions must work in the interest of society, not for political parties preparing for elections.

He appealed to citizens to trust official information and not fall for disinformation, which he said aims to create confusion and fear. "The government and ministers work every day. They speak to you, the media, so there are no secrets and nothing is hidden," Gurov noted.

He also stated that efforts are being made to ensure disinformation does not affect the election process in Bulgaria. He called on citizens to remain calm and be “guided by wisdom, not by panic,” when making their decisions for the snap parliamentary elections on April 19.

He noted that Bulgarian citizens in the conflict region in the Middle East continue to return to the country. According to him, the actions of the ministers of foreign affairs, transport, and tourism, and their teams have been adequate, timely, and coordinated.

Gurov said the governmental Security Council meeting was held in an enlarged format including Members of Parliament to avoid speculation about hidden information. "I believe this was appreciated both by the Chair of the National Assembly and by the attending representatives of the political parties," he said.

"Panic must under no circumstances be used for political propaganda," the Prime Minister concluded.