NEWS

Radev: Our foreign policy must be formulated at home by consensus and defended consistently abroad.

As five years ago, so today, I stand by the position that, in the face of clashing geopolitical interests and growing confrontation in our region, the role of the Head of State is not to exalt concerns and to name an enemy, but to help resolve crises with the mechanisms of the alliances of which we are members. These crises do not have a military solution, but require dialogue and diplomatic efforts for de-escalation. This is what Head of State Rumen Radev said in his address to the people and the National Assembly after he and Iliana Iotova were sworn in before the 47th Parliament for a second term as President and Vice President.

In his view the fundamental task of public policy should be ensuring security in a world saturated with the dynamics of geopolitical processes and the complex nature of risks and threats. 'That is why the development of the armed forces has always been a top priority in my role as Commander-in-Chief,' the President added. He noted the need of a common understanding that the commitment of the state leadership to defence is not limited to major modernisation projects. 'Modernisation is a continuous process of building up-to-date defence capabilities with a focus on people in the armed forces, on innovation and new technologies,' the President stated. He pointed out that the development of capabilities and interoperability is not only an allied duty, but above all a supreme responsibility towards the security of the homeland. 'With better preparation and political will, industrial cooperation agreements can provide better opportunities for both the armed forces and the economy in the field of high technology at that,' the Head of State added.

Radev said that throughout their mandate with Vice President Iliana Iotova, the two had defended the conviction that Bulgaria must conduct a proactive foreign policy, steadfastly pursuing the national interest.

'The balanced and pragmatic approach, the reasoned formulation of positions, as well as the open dialogue, have contributed to Bulgaria continuing to establish itself as a predictable and desirable partner and ally that can generate promising ideas, seek pragmatic solutions, and contribute to stability and sustainable development,' the Head of State said from the parliamentary rostrum.

The President pointed to the public consensus over Bulgaria's European belonging and noted that Bulgaria's voice must resonate loudly in the debate on Europe's future, on its strategic autonomy and security. The Head of State recalled that he had appealed at a NATO summit for the Alliance not to become an alliance between producers and buyers of defence products, but rather an alliance between partners that jointly develop defence capabilities through the integration of research and joint production. 'I believe that Bulgaria will continue to be an active participant in this process and will work to integrate our scientific units and innovative companies into the initiative,' the President added.

'I will say again that our foreign policy must be formulated at home by consensus between the institutions and defended consistently abroad,' the Head of State said and gave as an example this country's relations with the Republic of North Macedonia. 'The government-proposed multi-track approach in relations with our neighbours has the potential to dynamise dialogue and strengthen trust, and should be supported. However, it should not leave behind the issues of the rights of our compatriots and our common historical and cultural past, Radev said.

'I am among the politicians who want the Republic of North Macedonia to become a member of the European Union as soon as possible. That is precisely why we must help our brothers to overcome the ideologies of the totalitarian past more quickly and to achieve the membership criteria. As a responsible member of the European Union, Bulgaria must integrate partners, not problems,' Radev said further.

The Head of State said he had actively worked for the the foreign policy economisation, which can yield much better results if we achieve more effective coordination between institutions and overcome the lack of project readiness in important investment areas. Rumen Radev said that during his first tenure the strategic partnership with the United States had been strengthened, and the top-level dialogue with Russia had been re-established after a decade-long hiatus, the relations with China had been raised to the level of strategic partnership, and the ties had been deepened with a number of countries beyond Europe. 'Since the beginning of the mandate, Mrs Iotova and I have used every possible opportunity to expand the Bulgarian cultural space and to defend our achievements,' the President continued adding that he will continue this policy even more actively against the backdrop of the increased attacks on Bulgarian culture and history.