Bulgaria Needs to Be 'Generator of Solutions,' Opposition Presidential Candidate Says

Domestic | November 7, 2016, Monday // 22:06|  views

Rumen Radev. File photo, BGNES

Bulgaria needs ambitious goals from increasing living standards to developing a good security environment, reforming education and fighting shady elements of power, leading presidential candidate Rumen Radev has said.

In an interview with public broadcaster BNT, Radev, who has the best result in the first round of Bulgaria’s presidential election, has vowed to wage a war on all issues caused by the abdication of state institutions by demanding information and transparency and pushing for judicial reform.

“There is no judicial reform at the moment. The thorniest issue [is] the dependence of the judiciary, [both] financial and political,” he has added, thus calling into question the success of the reform pursued by the government to make the judiciary more efficient and eradicate corruption.  

Asked about his idea of Bulgaria’s geopolitical orientation, he has accused his opponents from main ruling GERB party (whose candidate, Tsetska Tsacheva, came second) and junior coalition partner Reformist Bloc of being “helpless” in the face of his result and resorting to falsehoods to smear him.

“I stand for NATO and the EU… [but] EU and NATO membership is no mantra. It is hard and targeted work. It is not enough to be loyal and act [in accordance]. It is not enough to be a consumer of decisions. One has to be a generator of solutions,” Radev has said, in a reference to accusations he would seek to get Bulgaria off the EU and NATO track if elected.

He has quoted US Ambassador to Bulgaria Eric Rubin as saying in a recent interview that Bulgaria and Russia should not be enemies. (Rubin said in the interview there was no US-Russia dilemma ahead of Bulgaria and that it would be “ridiculous” for the country not to maintain ties with Russia).

Radev has referred to the incorporation of Crimea into Ukraine as a violation, but has called for a more pragmatic approach to the issue. “Certainly there is a violation of international law. But it is a fact that a Russian flag is waving over Crimea. Should we turn a blind eye?... Let’s face reality,” he has said, asking rhetorically whether one would have to turn to Russian or to Ukrainian authorities to visit the peninsula as of the moment.

Both GERB and the RB allege a vote for him would result in a geopolitical shift for Bulgaria and would bring the country back in its democratic development.

All his supporters, however, demand change as “monopolization of power does not work for the state,” Radev has emphasized. He has often argued GERB has merged with state institutions.

The socialist-backed contender, who was formerly a commander of the Bulgarian Air Force, has pointed to the army's modernization as an issue where a set of measures will be proposed if he is elected, including the launch of “programs for industrial cooperation in technology.”

He has also accused Nikolay Nenchev, the current Defense Minister, of trying to modify the tender criteria for the acquisition of new military aircraft for the needs of the Bulgarian Air Force. “Up until the last moment he makes an effort to amend the criteria… [but a change] is not in the interest of our society.”

He has also commended incumbent Rosen Plevneliev for standing behind the development of the tech and IT and has pledged to support this goal.

Asked about his readiness to form a caretaker government if the current one resigns, he has said such a task would not be a problem for him, but has noted it will probably be up to Plevneliev, whose term expires in January. An early election, preceded by an interim administration, is a possible scenario if the government resigns after the runoff.

The second vote between Tsacheva and Radev has been scheduled for November 13.

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Tags: Rumen Radev, Presidential elections, Tsetska Tsacheva, GERB, Ukraine, Russia, Crimea

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