Wildfire Response Sparks Political Clash in Bulgaria: Borissov Blames Inaction, Kostadinov Alleges Sabotage

Speaking to reporters in Parliament, GERB leader Boyko Borissov sharply criticized the state’s preparedness for tackling wildfires, claiming that there were four years during which necessary equipment could have been acquired - if the political will had existed. “There was time, but no will,” he said, underscoring the missed opportunity. He noted that while Bulgaria’s firefighting equipment is currently far better than in previous years - when he himself had helped extinguish forest fires - such advancements mean little in the face of human negligence. “No equipment can stop stupidity,” Borissov said, pointing to behaviors like tossing lit cigarette butts from car windows as exacerbating the risk.

Borissov praised Bulgaria’s firefighters for operating in difficult conditions and stressed that wildfires are not unique to Bulgaria, but are occurring across the Balkans. He stated that Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov had already ordered an urgent review of the situation, with helicopters being the more effective solution in his view. Airplanes, Borissov said, are harder to manage and depend on large reservoirs to operate.

Borissov also commented on the Anti-Corruption Commission, saying any proposal to shut it down originates with Gen. Atanasov and the State Security Service. He added that GERB is still weighing how it will vote, noting that the Commission's connection to the EU Recovery and Resilience Plan complicates matters. He reiterated his longstanding opposition to Boyko Rashkov heading the Commission and recalled the past effort to appoint Kiril Petkov to lead the State Security Service, which ultimately failed due to Petkov’s own disagreement.

Meanwhile, on the opposite end of the political spectrum, “Revival” party leader Kostadin Kostadinov leveled harsh accusations against the government. Speaking in Parliament, he claimed the Bulgarian state was “quite consciously sabotaging” wildfire prevention efforts. He recalled that a year ago, under similar fire conditions, officials admitted Bulgaria only had two helicopters modified for firefighting. At that time, he said, authorities claimed purchasing new helicopters would take 12 to 18 months and planes even longer. The answer to whether there was money, according to him, was "no." Yet, he stressed, the situation remains unchanged a year later - no new equipment has been ordered and no progress has been made.

Kostadinov said his party requested to hear Prime Minister Zhelyazkov in Parliament, but the ruling majority blocked the motion. He pointed out that in 2023, Parliament had obligated the Council of Ministers to acquire aerial firefighting equipment and report on how 170 million leva from the Environment Program were being used. That report never came, he said, while citizens now try to fight fires with buckets and pitchforks.

Tsveta Rangelova from “Revival” backed his position from the parliamentary rostrum, warning that the government owes an explanation for its inaction. A protest against the government’s handling of the fires was also taking place in Sofia at the time.

In a follow-up request, “We Continue Change–Democratic Bulgaria” demanded Interior Minister Daniel Mitov explain the status of public procurement for the equipment. That, too, was rejected.

On the sidelines of Parliament, Kostadinov continued: “What’s happening now is criminal. The climate is changing. Fires are becoming a seasonal epidemic. Some are even set deliberately, which is why we’ve proposed harsher penalties for arson.” He insisted that, given this context, the state’s failure to purchase equipment - despite having funds earmarked for it - is not just negligence, but a deliberate political decision.

He lamented that in earlier times, such fires were fought using army personnel. Now, with no active military to deploy, and with Bulgaria’s strained relations with Russia, he said the country can’t turn to the closest country with serious capacity for help. “Instead, we wait for help from Sweden - six times farther away. They said four helicopters would come from the EU. First one came. I don’t know if the rest ever arrived. Last night, a village had to be evacuated.”

Kostadinov concluded that the current government has left Bulgarians with no tools and no options: “All that’s left is to watch while the country burns.”