site.btaUPDATED Progressive Bulgaria Leader Rumen Radev: Next Parliament's Top Priority Is to Form Majority to Replace Judicial Council, Clearing Way for Election of New Prosecutor General

Rumen Radev, leader of Progressive Bulgaria, presented the priorities of the coalition in Sofia on Thursday. He said the number one task is to have a two thirds majority in the next parliament after the April 19 elections, to replace the Supreme Judicial Council and to have a new, legitimate Prosecutor General elected.

Radev served as president between 2017 and 2026 before resigning on January 20.

The Progressive Bulgaria leader warned that key reforms may depend on the balance of power in the next parliament. "Much depends on the arithmetic in the National Assembly and the forces driving it," he said.

"We will not remain hostage to a possible political deadlock but will continue to work in parallel: on reforming the services and the Interior Ministry, on exposing and disrupting corruption schemes, and on gathering evidence admissible in court, because its time will come," Radev said.

He added that efforts will also intensify with partner services and governments to identify illegally acquired assets, bank accounts and properties abroad belonging to Bulgarian citizens.

"We will step up the confiscation of assets and property of illegal and unclear origin, because this is what feeds the oligarchy. I am confident that among the magistrates there are Bulgarians with moral strength and integrity, and we will rely on serious work with them," Radev said.

He also spoke in favour of dismantling the oligarchic model and accelerating economic development.

"Our ambition is to form a government that imposes clear rules for everyone. A government that protects public resources and creates conditions for accelerated growth. One that guarantees security, decent incomes and prospects for development for every Bulgarian citizen," he said.

"To achieve these goals, we have developed a set of priorities and measures, which are outlined in detail in our programme. Tonight we will focus on just two priorities - dismantling the oligarchic model and accelerating the country's economic development - for three reasons. First, without dismantling the oligarchic model that has captured Bulgaria, any future governing configurations and their economic and social policies will once again fall captive to oligarchic influence and will be doomed to fail. Second, without a strong economy, none of the other sectors can develop. Third, time is limited and we cannot present the entire programme," Radev added.

"There are just a few hours left until the start of the election campaign, and tonight we will not be engaging in electioneering. We will try to satisfy your interest in our programme for the future of the country," Radev said at the start of his presentation of priorities.

"The Bulgarian oligarchy is deeply rooted in the country's public and economic life - a pyramid that systematically robs society and guarantees itself impunity through control over institutions, political parties, the electoral process, the media and business," Radev said.

He added that the figures and politicians against whom Bulgarians voiced their anger in the streets at the end of last year represent only the top of this pyramid, which is deeply entrenched at all levels of state bodies and the judiciary. "Simply removing this top from power will not deliver the results we need," Radev commented.

"A comprehensive programme with concrete measures is needed not only for dismantling, but also to prevent institutions from being re-captured. The first and most important step is to remove the top of this pyramid from public power, and this is our primary goal in the upcoming elections," Radev said.

"If we want the economy to develop intensively based on entrepreneurship, investment and free competition, we must free business from the oligarchy's extortion," he added.

He also noted that there can be no effective fight against corruption without free media: "We will work to restore the media environment, fully illuminate media ownership, ensure the financial independence of public media, protect journalistic investigations and sources, and support investigative journalism."

He highlighted tackling inequality as a central priority of the programme. His team has developed a new approach to public finance oversight, based on artificial intelligence.

At the end of the programme presentation, Rumen Radev highlighted additional priorities, including building modern infrastructure, ensuring affordable energy for households and businesses, accelerating income growth, providing access to quality education, transforming the healthcare model from hospital-based treatment to prevention, combating crime and drug trafficking, and developing modern Armed Forces. Four-season tourism and sports were also listed among the main priorities.

On foreign policy, Radev said that Bulgaria must contribute to strengthening the alliances of which it is a member. "This can no longer be achieved by loyalty alone; competence and determination are also required to defend our national interests within these alliances. If we want the alliances to be strong, the states that form them must also be strong," he stated.