PP-DB Demands Deputy Prime Minister's Resignation After Parade with Putin

PP-DB Demands Resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Over Presence at Military Parade with Vladimir Putin

The political coalition 'We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria' (PP-DB) has sharply criticized and called for the resignation of a deputy prime minister after it became known that he attended a military parade in Beijing on September 3. The event, which drew international attention, was also attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The demand for resignation was publicly announced from the tribune of the National Assembly through a declaration read by PP-DB Member of Parliament, Elisaveta Belobradova. The declaration expresses "complete outrage at the total lack of principles of Atanas Zafirov as a member of the government, as a representative of the state, as a public figure, and even as a Bulgarian". The coalition emphasized that if the deputy prime minister decided to take an "anti-Bulgarian and anti-Western stance" in a personal capacity, it should not bind the state. For this reason, PP-DB insists on his immediate resignation.

The photo of a Bulgarian statesman posing in close proximity to leaders of states whose regimes are subject to international sanctions and criticism sparked a wave of questions. Among them is the fact that another cabinet member – Mr. Ivan Ivanov – also attended the events in China. According to PP-DB, this requires clear political accountability, regardless of whether the prime minister was notified in advance. Belobradova stressed that the lack of a firm position on the part of Rosen Zhelyazkov and GERB can be interpreted as an official policy of the cabinet, for which they bear full responsibility. "In case GERB continues to justify and defend Mr. Zafirov, their political and geopolitical position will be shameful and reprehensible, but most of all completely unprincipled", she said.

Elisaveta Belobradova told Parliament how PP-DB tried to get answers from Deputy Prime Minister Zafirov and Rosen Zhelyazkov. Initially, a question addressed to Mr. Zafirov was returned by the Speaker of the National Assembly on the grounds that it was "too extensive". After it was split into four separate parts, the questions were again returned by Ms. Kiselova with the explanation that they did not fall within the deputy prime minister's portfolio. Later, even the question to Mr. Zhelyazkov was returned with the same argument – that the topic was not in his portfolio. This situation caused additional tension, especially after Prime Minister Zhelyazkov publicly stated that he learned about the deputy prime minister's presence from the media, as he was on leave.

PP-DB points out that there is a serious discrepancy in the official versions. Belobradova highlighted that all Chinese state media reported that Bulgaria had confirmed participation and that the deputy prime minister's presence was part of an official state delegation. This raises the main question about the capacity in which Zafirov attended the event: "as Atanas from Burgas, as leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, or as deputy prime minister and part of the ruling majority".

According to the opposition coalition, the prime minister's claim that Mr. Zafirov is not responsible for posing in a photo with the Russian head of state and that this has no connection to Bulgaria's official position is unacceptable. "This government stubbornly demonstrates to citizens and the international community that Bulgaria has no national interest", the PP-DB declaration states. They point out that the only principle the current government follows is "to kiss the hand of every international entity that offers it, without discrimination, without prioritization".

• In response to the declaration, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Natalia Kiselova, commented that Belobradova "forgot to say why they returned a question to the Minister of Foreign Affairs yesterday".
• The political debate on the topic continues to evolve, and questions about Bulgaria's foreign policy orientation remain open.