site.btaPresident Radev: Authorities’ Disregard for Public Concerns Surrounding Euro Adoption Are Sparking Civil Protests

Instead of taking steps to protect citizens' purchasing power, the government continues to “pour more and more money into polling agencies to spread propaganda and advertise the euro, paying for the results it wants to see,” President Rumen Radev has told reporters, as quoted by his press secretariat on Saturday evening. The authorities’ arrogance, manipulation, and disregard for public concerns surrounding the euro adoption are fueling public distrust and sparking civil protests, Radev said. When the government refuses to listen to the people, sooner or later the time will come when the people stop listening to the government, he added.

Radev said that the Constitutional Court had not dismissed his request for a national referendum on adopting the euro. “On the contrary, the court has agreed to examine the most important part of my request – whether the Parliament Chair has the competence determine the admissibility of a national referendum as she denies a proposal made by an entity empowered by the law,” the head of State said. “This ruling will decide whether the matter returns to Parliament,” he added. The President stressed that the Constitutional Court’s role is to uphold the Constitution and not to “serve political expediency.”

Responding to a reporter’s question, Radev welcomed Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov’s comments on the importance of good institutional practices, dialogue, and communication. However, he urged the Prime Minister to reflect on how many letters with constructive proposals had been sent by the President’s administration and why, despite calls for dialogue, they had gone unanswered. Radev pointed to issues with coordination between institutions, particularly regarding diplomatic appointments. The President criticized the government for appointing acting ambassadors without his formal approval and “in violation of the Constitution.“ He cited cases involving the Secretary General of the Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor General, and the President of the Supreme Administrative Court. “We saw the unfortunate consequences of this approach with the appointment of the Bulgarian chargé d’affaires in Kyiv, for whom I did not sign a decree,” Radev said, referring to Nikolay Nenchev.

Radev also addressed criticism surrounding the 2023 contract between state-owned gas supplier Bulgargaz and Turkish energy company BOTAS. “Those who attack the BOTAS agreement every day owe the public an answer - how many million megawatt-hours have been imported through BOTAS this year alone?” he asked, calling for an honest analysis. Referring to GERB leader Boyko Borissov, Radev said: “If a party leader is so concerned about the BOTAS [agreement] and the country’s finances, perhaps it is time they take a closer look at the billions spent during his time in power on highways, dams, and landslides.” Radev said that despite all that spending, results are yet to be seen.