A series of incidents in the Bulgarian defense industry, including the recent explosion at an EMCO storage facility near Dryanovo, has prompted Democratic Bulgaria (DB) to demand a hearing for Prime Minister Rumen Radev in the National Assembly. The coalition’s press office clarified that the incident in Dryanovo comes just a month after a fire and explosion at another facility belonging to the same company, located near Belitsa, Tryavna municipality.

According to DB’s reasoning, the events that have accumulated over the years reveal a critical deficiency in the state’s capacity for timely threat assessment and the security of strategic sites. The party's analysis shows that these incidents are not isolated cases. Since 2011, a series of explosions, fires, and other serious accidents have plagued the Bulgarian defense industry. In some of these cases, the prosecution examined the possibility of coordinated sabotage, including potential links to Russian citizens. However, to date, this pattern has not received an adequate institutional response to break the cycle and ensure reliable protection for strategic sites.

The need for the hearing is further justified by the changed security environment in Europe, where hybrid and diversionary activities by foreign state actors necessitate large-scale reforms to improve early warning and preventive measures. Democratic Bulgaria points out that after the ruling majority previously rejected their requests to hear from the Interior Minister and the head of the State Agency for National Security (SANS), the Prime Minister is now obligated to answer to Parliament regarding the state of national security.

The coalition expects answers regarding the ability of the competent authorities to identify external threats, the failures within the system, and the state’s readiness to guarantee the protection of critical infrastructure and strategic sites in the country.