“We, the BSP, are consistent. We did not want these planes at Vrazhdebna Airport, and we do not want them in Bezmer either. The very fact of their presence—especially now, when it is explicitly stated that they are in support of the operation in the Middle East—indirectly means that Bulgaria is supporting a war that is not ours, is not NATO’s, and is not the European Union’s. This is a war with unclear objectives.” This was stated by Bulgarian MEP Kristian Vigenin of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament on the program “Face to Face” on bTV.

According to him, Bulgaria finds itself in an extremely complex international environment, and every decision has both foreign policy and domestic policy implications: “If you have a national position, it must be very well-founded. Spain refused to allow the United States to use its military bases for this war. There are other countries that have rejected this operation as well. We are getting involved in two problematic issues at the same time, and that is why we must proceed with the utmost intelligence and caution.” In his view, Bulgaria has the right to pursue a different foreign policy approach without isolating itself, but this approach must be well-reasoned and consistently defended both before its European partners and before the Bulgarian public.

Commenting on the Kyiv Declaration, Vigenin emphasized that the key issue is not whether the document bears a signature, but that Bulgaria participated in formulating the common position and its name appears in the declaration. “Obviously, the government is trying to reposition Bulgaria without isolating itself. But this requires a very wise approach to this type of messaging, both domestically and internationally. It seemed more as if we were trying to sit on two chairs at once, rather than sitting on a different chair.” In his view, the problem is both political and one of communication, because the public has a right to know what position Bulgaria has defended and what reservations have been expressed.

Regarding the sanctions against Russia, the MEP reiterated the BSP’s consistent position that sanctions and military aid to Ukraine alone cannot lead to the desired political outcome. “After every round of sanctions, we explain how they will lead to the collapse of the Russian economy. We’ve been waiting for this to happen for 12 years now. This isn’t serious. We need to explore other approaches.” According to him, there are already signs that European leaders are increasingly recognizing the need to restore political dialogue, and the question is no longer whether there should be dialogue, but who should lead it.

Vigenin stated that he sees a desire for change and positive intentions in the government’s work, but that there is still a lack of a sufficiently clear agenda, specific deadlines, and measurable goals. Decisions such as the change in the mechanism for setting the minimum wage, in his view, raise serious questions.

According to him, the first steps taken against the oligarchic model are a positive sign, but removing two of its proponents from the National Security Service’s vehicles is not enough. Real change requires consistent institutional reforms. “The public expects concrete action in the judicial system, transparency in the spending of public funds, and the systematic dismantling of the model against which those in power received their public mandate. Both I personally and the BSP will stand behind any decision that leads to the dismantling of this model and the building of a truly democratic and social state,” commented Kristian Vigenin.

In response to a question about the ruling party’s intention to seize the BSP headquarters, the MEP was adamant that political ideas do not depend on buildings, but on the people who champion them: “The ideas we defend, the ones we stand behind, do not necessarily require a party headquarters in the city center. If we have to, we’ll hold meetings in the meadows. We’ve done it before, we’ll do it again, and we’ve been in tougher situations. We’ve managed. They won’t scare us by taking our headquarters. Nor will they silence us, if that’s the idea. So there’s no need to worry. The ideas we stand for will endure, whether we have a headquarters or not. And the people will support them.”