Bulgarian PM: Safeguarding Democracy Is Europe’s New Security Frontier

Europe must begin treating the protection of democracy as an integral part of its defense policy, not merely as an ideological concept, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said during the “Dialogue on Defense and Democracy: Fortress of Freedom” conference organized by the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD). According to him, safeguarding democratic values requires a structured and active approach across three key areas - institutional stability, technological capacity, and shared values.

Zhelyazkov emphasized that security on the continent cannot depend solely on moral or ideological foundations. As a NATO member situated on the Alliance’s eastern flank, Bulgaria bears both a responsibility and an opportunity to help turn the Black Sea into a stable and secure link between democratic nations, he added.

The Prime Minister underlined the importance of collective action and partnerships between like-minded states. He noted that Bulgaria supports initiatives such as the Three Seas Initiative, the European Political Community, and its cooperation with countries like Norway, which aim to strengthen democratic alliances across and beyond the EU. According to Zhelyazkov, such frameworks give smaller nations a stronger collective voice, improve coordination against corruption, disinformation, and illicit financing, and help build mutual trust among democracies.

The Prime Minister also praised the role of the CSD in analyzing geopolitical challenges and contributing to democratic reforms in Bulgaria and the wider region, stressing that its expertise has long supported the country’s policy direction.

Discussing the broader security landscape, Zhelyazkov pointed to Russia’s war in Ukraine as the clearest demonstration of the challenge to democratic values. He said that the conflict, with its hybrid dimensions, from cyberattacks to energy coercion and sabotage, was designed to destabilize Europe and the democratic world as a whole.

In conclusion, Zhelyazkov highlighted that Bulgaria will take a significant step toward completing its European integration on January 1, 2026, with the adoption of the euro. He described the upcoming budget as a key milestone in this process, expressing confidence that his government will secure parliamentary approval for what he called “the first budget in euros for Bulgaria.”