Against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between the presidency and the cabinet, Head of State Rumen Radev categorically denied suggestions that he's sabotaging the government's work. His statement, made during a visit to the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NAIM-BAS), was a direct response to the criticism leveled against him.
Radev used a specific example to support his position, emphasizing that he played a key role in attracting a significant foreign investment in the defense industry. He shared that he convinced "a strategic investor like 'Rheinmetall', which the ruling party can only dream of," to invest "enormous financial resources and cutting-edge technologies" in the country. The president added that today, government representatives are in Germany to finalize the deal that he secured "as a gift" for the cabinet. In a sharp tone, he contrasted this success with claims of sabotage.
I categorically don't accept the suggestions that I'm sabotaging the government's work... And at the same time, they're saying that I'm sabotaging them,he stated, promising to continue working for the country,
regardless of which government is in power and whether it's compromised.
Tensions over key positions continue
The issue of appointments to key positions was also a focus of the president's statement. He confirmed that a new Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior would be appointed by the end of the week, specifying that the name would become public after his decree is issued.
The Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Interior is indeed important because the Ministry of Interior is a very serious institution with important and responsible tasks,Radev emphasized, without going into more detail.
However, the Head of State raised questions about the pace of cooperation with the government, especially regarding other important appointments. He criticized the delay in the process of appointing the head of the National Security Service (NSS), pointing out that his proposal was ignored by the cabinet for two months. According to him, this contradicts the government's claims of urgency in filling leadership positions in the services.
President Radev shared that ambassador appointments were finally coordinated "in a package—which is how it should be." However, he noted that this happened with "compromises on my part," as he is still awaiting proposals from the government for ambassadorial posts in "key capitals like Washington." The Head of State appealed for the trend of appointing acting heads of embassies not to become the norm.
When asked why dialogue with the government wasn't progressing, the president stated that he has "a number of letters that I have no answer to," as well as "a number of initiatives towards them." To illustrate the distance in relations, he described how ministers, with a few exceptions, "scatter" when he appears at public events.
Culture and science in the spotlight
Despite the tense political situation, the presidential program today was focused on culture and science. Rumen Radev visited the National Archaeological Institute with Museum, where he viewed the temporary exhibition "A Head Taller. The Second Statue from Heraclea Sintica." The exhibition presents the second statue discovered in the ancient city near the village of Rupite. The find, unearthed after excavations by the team of Prof. Dr. Lyudmil Vagalinski in 2024, had remained in the ground for over 1600 years. The process of its stabilization, cleaning, and restoration was carried out by restorers from NAIM-BAS and sculptors from the National Academy of Art.
The president is also scheduled to view a second temporary exhibition—"The Splendor of Hellenistic Gold—The Master of Sakar," which presents findings from a Thracian burial discovered in the land of the village of Kapitan Petko Voyvoda, Topolovgrad municipality. The president's visit to the museum provided an opportunity for a temporary break from the political agenda, although even here he didn't miss the chance to offer his comments.