Former Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov speaks out against sending troops to Ukraine and warns of potentially dangerous moves by new coalition government.

“If it comes to sending manpower to Ukraine, I will be one of the first, the first to go out, like in 1999, on the square. This is a war between neighbors who are close by blood to us. We have no place there!”

Georgi Parvanov, President of the Republic of Bulgaria (2002-2012), stated this in an interview with BNR.

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Recalling his funeral speech and the welcoming of the coffins of our soldiers from Karbala in Iraq, Parvanov pointed out:

“I would not like this to happen. I do not wish any Bulgarian statesman to welcome fallen Bulgarian troops.”

“I will allow myself to recall, albeit without enthusiasm, that I am one of those who signed the agreements on Bulgaria’s membership in the EU and the decree on NATO membership. I do not know if, as Stamboliyski, I will not have to break, albeit with more – late date, the pen. I have always been against trying to turn back the tape of history. But they are not greater Europeans than us. We just understand our partnership, the alliance relationship in a different way – not at any cost,” said Parvanov.

We cannot be continuously in every system, he is categorical.

“We we cannot be members of every coalition of the willing. At the moment when there is a knock, when a muster is played somewhere far in the west, let us line up. No thanks! There are cases in which Bulgaria must keep its distance. There are cases in which we have been involved, we have even thrown manpower. Don’t think of doing it now! The presence of this person as Minister of War (Todor Tagarev – note ed.), is not a mistake of the language, fills me with suspicions. I’ve heard statements from hawks on the right saying exactly that.”

Asked what connects the future rulers from GERB-SDS and PP-DB and how principled their coalition is, Georgi Parvanov pointed out:

“No doubt, it is something that happens because of the common interest, which is not political, not national. It is narrow, personal and perhaps narrowly partisan, of both formations. There is probably, as they themselves admit, appreciable external pressure. This made it possible to bring together two previously irreconcilable formations. We cannot even assume, guess how strong this external pressure can be. That they admit it in passing before such a broad forum as that of the PP is telling enough.”

“When the coalition was formed (the triple coalition between NDSV, BSP and DPS – note, ed.), there were still barricades in front of the parliament tribune, there were still clashes, even physical ones. But the leadership – both the tsar and Dogan were people with whom you can get along I claim that it was the best coalition during the transitionGeorgi Parvanov stressed and declared that during his time there was no attempt at pressure “neither by the president nor by the prime minister, even less by the embassy”.

“It was just unacceptable. Not just for the services. Even when we were wrong, we held ourselves accountable.”

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The president has the right to express his political position, Parvanov thinks. He recalled that there is also a decision of the Constitutional Court on this topic.

“President Radev gave the mandate, he did not violate the Constitution. They need an enemy to unite these loose ranks. Who motivates them. An external enemy, and this enemy must be strong enough. It cannot be BSP. That’s why it’s best to name Radev as such,” commented Georgi Parvanov in the program “Politically INCORRECT”.

He also expressed his opinion about a possible impeachment procedure for the current president:

“With such a request, they will really heroize President Radev. Coming out of the institution, he could become a very serious future opponent for them.”

Georgi Parvanov found among the priorities of the new coalition, in his words, disturbing things, for example, requests for the removal of heads of departments.

“What’s more, they said that they have submitted draft laws to take away from the president the services, the right for the president to be involved in the appointment of the heads of the services. I categorically object to such an idea. All the power should not be concentrated in the Council of Ministers, because then something more than a witch hunt will be started. They they have some strange, not to say monstrous, ideas, which are, however, going through a profound change in the Constitution. But if they want to reach so deeply into the state system, they will have to call a Grand National Assembly. This would be fatal for modern Bulgarian politics,” warned the head of state from 2002 to 2012.

Parvanov predicted that the first milestone of the new coalition will be “in the local elections, where the battle between the two ruling powers will be very fierce“.

“DPS went its way, it went through purgatory, like any party. But so suddenly, as it happened yesterday, for me it is a surprise and it cannot be only related to the idea of ​​constitutional changes. DPS will be a kind of rear support. I don’t say “gold finger”. I admit that someone can also look for them because of the voting on the immunities and the non-voting, respectively,” reports Georgi Parvanov.

“There was a time when one loss of the BSP led to Lilov resigning and looking for a new perspective solution for the party. Now 10-11 elections may be lost. Not only is there no idea of ​​retreating the leadership, but it is also the idea that it is some kind of success. I appeal to the leaders of the BSP and the “Left!” to find a common language. Because we have a coalescing right that has no prospect of governing well. If there is a strong left-wing alternative in return, this could bring back support for the left“, Parvanov also noted.