site.btaYes, Bulgaria Co-chair Calls Government "Dangerous for Citizens"; Protest Set for Sept. 3

Yes, Bulgaria Co-chair Ivaylo Mirchev said the government was becoming "a danger to citizens" and a motion of no confidence over captured institutions was imminent. Interviewed by the Bulgarian National Radio on Tuesday, he said a protest rally was slated for September 3.

Yes, Bulgaria is part of the Democratic Bulgaria coalition, itself a partner of Continue the Change in the second largest parliamentary group. Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria has 36 MPs in the 240-seat Parliament.

Mirchev said: "The no-confidence vote is becoming increasingly relevant. We will set forth our plan of resistance. If citizens did not fully understand the threat to their rights from a captured state, they now see clearly that it is also a threat to their daily lives, which are becoming harder and riskier."

He criticized the government's nomination of Miroslav Rashkov as Interior Ministry secretary general, linking him to MRF-New Beginning leader Delyan Peevski through Svetlozar Lazarov, a former holder of this position at the Interior Ministry. According to Mirchev, Rashkov will not defend the rule of law or the national interest. The Interior Ministry, the Counter-Corruption Commission, the prosecution service and regulators are subordinated to "an illegitimate power centre", with the Cabinet and the majority in Parliament also under Peevski's control, according to Mirchev.

He listed recent government actions as direct blows to citizens' rights and interests, which have made it "dangerous for citizens". These include plans to dispose of over 4,000 state properties "in the dark", leftist economic measures which he said fuel inflation instead of supporting euro adoption, heavy new borrowing to patch up the budget, and a deepening water crisis rooted in 15 years of GERB-led rule.

"The water crisis is less about politics and more about corruption. Much money was stolen under pretext of replacing pipes," Mirchev said, adding that GERB leader Boyko Borissov shares responsibility with Peevski and should "show some shame".

Mirchev also commented on Ukraine after attending Monday's National Prayer Breakfast in Kyiv. He said that although opinion polls register fatigue and a desire to end the war, Ukrainians know there can be no temporary peace, as they remember well what happened with the annexation of Crimea in 2014. In particular, the military among them are firmly determined to finish their job now.

While Europe lacks sufficient Patriot ammunition to defend Ukraine's skies, which makes US support necessary, it does have a number of offensive systems alternative to the American ones, Mirchev said. He added that Ukraine has responded to Europe's timidity by recently unveiling its own Flamingo missile with a range of 3,000 km.

Of 12,000 tanks in US stockpiles, only 30 have been given to Ukraine, said Mirchev. "If even half had been delivered, the war would have been over. The US and the West are giving just enough for Ukraine to survive. Europe must step up to its role, Ukraine should reclaim a large part of its territory, conclude peace and join the EU and NATO," he said.