site.btaBulgaria Reacts to Death of Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny

Bulgarian state leaders and politicians Friday reacted to the announced death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. In an official statement, the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service said that Navalny felt unwell after a walk on Friday and lost consciousness. Medical staff was called, but were unable to resuscitate him.

Navalny was serving a 19-year sentence for extremism. In December 2023, he was transferred to a maximum security penal colony north of the Polar Circle.

Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov said, as quoted by the Council of Minister's official Facebook account, that Navalny's death highlights why it is important to value democracy. "For years Navalny has been a symbol of the struggle against dictatorship in Russia, of the fight for free speech, of the fact that a person cannot be imprisoned over a different opinion. Step by step, the noose has been tightening around Navalny," Denkov stated. "We have to imagine that another world exists, and in this world, where no one can freely say what they think except the one who is on top, they can send you to a penal colony. We must not forget this because it has also happened in our country," he stressed.

President Rumen Radev said on the X social network that the world has lost one of the most outstanding fighters for human rights and democracy. According to Radev, it is extremely important that all the circumstances surrounding Alexei Navalny's death in prison are clarified and made known to the international community. "Homage to his memory!", the President wrote.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel expressed condolences to the relatives and friends of Navalny. "I was devastated to learn the news about Alexey Navalny's death," Gabriel wrote on X. "He fought for freedom, championed democratic values and demonstrated remarkable courage," the Foreign Minister added.

Defence Minister Todor Tagarev wrote in a Facebook post that Navalny's murder will not save Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime. "The regime killed Navalny. We grieve with his family and with everyone who loved and respected him. But Navalny's murder won't save Putin's regime. On the contrary, Navalny's work will go on in Russia and beyond even stronger," wrote Tagarev.

Interior Minister Kalin Stoyanov said, as quoted by his ministry, that with Navalny's death democracy lost one of its modern leaders.

GERB party leader Boyko Borissov wrote on Facebook: "Navalny dead?! No, Navalny was killed! The regime killed him!" In Borissov's words, this is murder against democracy. "What is needed is strong pressure on the Kremlin and more aid for Ukraine," Borissov added in his post.

The power-sharing Continue the Change party condemned "the  circumstances of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny's death, and the inhuman conditions for him in the prison in Russia". "Navalny's death is an attempt at a blatant, systematic and intentional murder of free will, of democracy, of the courage to be in opposition and fight for justice," the party says. The statement further reads that Continue the Change, as a pro-European party, "is firmly opposed to Kremlin's repressive and criminal actions against human rights". "We will continue to fight for peace and the normal development of our country by defending the interests of Bulgaria and Bulgarian citizens and not allowing Russian influence in our country to stop this process," the statement goes. The MPs of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria will submit a bill to secure "comprehensive enforcement of all sanctions and measures against the Putin regime and its economic interests on Bulgarian soil".

Continue the Change co-leader Kiril Petkov is quoted as saying, "Putin doesn't understand that killing Navalny doesn't kill the spirit of freedom, it makes it stronger and invincible, because now Navalny has become a symbol of strength, of hope, of freedom, who cannot be chained in prison, who cannot be hidden from the people, who cannot be killed again. Navalny has won! Putin will lose!" "We believe that the death of Alexei Navalny is far from the end of the struggle for a free and democratic world. Although posthumously, he shows us the meaning of the battle the world is fighting with Putin's regime. The point of supporting Ukraine. The point of coming together. For democracy to win, for freedom, for Ukraine, for peace in Europe and ultimately for Bulgaria," the statement says. 

Democratic Bulgaria co-leader Atanas Atanassov is adamant that Navalny's death is an assassination and there should be retribution for it. It is "a huge death for the democratic community in Russia and its struggle for freedom and rule of law," Atanassov wrote in a Facebook post. 

Democratic Bulgaria co-leader Hristo Ivanov wrote on Facebook that Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday not only killed his biggest critic but also encroached on the hope for peace and freedom. "Navalny sacrificed himself with the clear knowledge that he will not be allowed to live to see his homeland's democratic governance. By choosing to return to Russia, he chose sure death in the name of exposing the bloodthirsty, human-hating and world-endangering rule of the Russian dictator," Ivanov wrote, adding that Navalny's vile murder in prison will not result in the death of Navalny's free spirit. "We will not forget! He will continue to give hope and inspire resistance!", the post reads.

Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) floor leader Delyan Peevski said, as quoted by his party's press office, that what happened with Navalny confirms the point of a values-based unification of all democratic and European forces against the regime in Moscow. In Peevski's words, the most important thing that Bulgaria has done as a country by supporting Ukraine is that it has become an integral part of the struggle to preserve peace. This support should continue because the war is about European values and democracy, he added.

On Friday evening, citizens and MPs gathered in front of the Russian Embassy in Sofia for a peaceful demonstration. They left flowers in Navalny's memory and wrote "murderers" on pieces of paper. Some commented that Navalny is not the only victim of Putin's regime. There was heavy police presence on site.