President Radev on the eve of the election campaign: less negative PR and more ideas

Our society is waiting for a meaningful political debate - less negative PR and more ideas for the future of Bulgaria. Each party should state how it sees this future, how it will make Bulgaria more successful and why it wants power. It is high time that the parties' agenda meets the public's agenda. The public expects specific answers from the parties on how the pressing problems will be solved, President Rumen Radev said on the eve of the election campaign for early parliamentary elections and European Parliament elections.

He called on all parties to make systematic efforts to ensure that the campaign for the national parliamentary elections does not completely silence and displace the debate on the future of united Europe.

Radev expressed his expectation that in the upcoming campaign for the European Parliament elections a meaningful debate on the future of Europe will be heard.

In his view, whoever claims to represent Bulgaria in the European Parliament should state clear positions on how they will contribute to the progress of the entire EU, but also on the protection of Bulgarian national interests in terms of the scale and speed of the transition to a green economy, ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Rumen Radev said that he could not commit to specific deadlines for Bulgaria's accession to the land-based Schengen. "Bulgaria's opening to Schengen by air and sea was as positive as it was negative, because the pressure on Austria was extremely high, but now this pressure has decreased because it is said: 'Here, Bulgaria is already in Schengen'." We will continue to work," the President further stressed.

Bulgaria marks the Day of Europe

He said that he expects a regular government to be formed after the elections, which will engage very seriously with Schengen. "The right policy is a calm, frank and very open debate on this topic, we do not need clashes and making the situation nervous," Radev said.

Asked whether he would veto the Gambling Act, he replied, "You will see my decree very soon."

"Today is a day of tribute to the few remaining Bulgarian veterans who participated in the Second World War, to the thousands of Bulgarians who took part in that war, to the thousands who gave their lives for the victory over Nazism. Thanks to their sacrifice, the way was opened to today's peaceful and united Europe. On Europe Day, let us wish for a European Union that is even more actively engaged and contributes even more effectively to the development of its Member States. I expect the EU to engage more actively in promoting the principles of democracy and respect for human rights and the rule of law in the countries of the Western Balkans, which have declared their ambitions to join the European Union," Rumen Radev further said.