Rumen Radev

Following a Radev–Erdoğan meeting in December 2022, the Bulgargaz–BOTAŞ agreement was signed on 3 January 2023 for thirteen years. Radev hailed it as historic. The contract subsequently faced strong criticism over its capacity obligations and costs, while authorities investigated its conclusion. In 2026, having become Prime Minister, Radev negotiated with Turkey a fifteen-month freeze and an announced cost reduction, while Bulgargaz owed BOTAŞ approximately 360 million dollars.

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Political responsibility

On 12 May 2025, Radev proposed a referendum asking Bulgarians whether they approved introducing the euro in 2026. The Speaker of the National Assembly initially refused to place it on the agenda; following a constitutional ruling limiting her power of unilateral rejection, Parliament eventually considered and rejected the referendum on 3 December 2025 by 135 votes to 81.

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Political responsibility

In January 2026, Radev resigned from the presidency before the end of his second term, an unprecedented decision in contemporary democratic Bulgaria, amid preparations for new parliamentary elections and his expected entry into party politics.

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Personally implicated

Following Progressive Bulgaria's election victory and Radev's appointment as Prime Minister, the new government announced in June 2026 that it would no longer supply weapons to Ukraine and called on Kyiv and Moscow to negotiate.

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Political responsibility

On 18 June 2026, Prime Minister Radev announced that Bulgaria would veto the European Union's new sanctions package against Russia. He cited economic risks for Bulgaria, particularly concerning Lukoil and the national refinery, as well as opposition to sanctions targeting a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church.

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Political responsibility

Following Russia's invasion, Radev repeatedly opposed supplying Bulgarian weapons to Ukraine, citing the risk of depleting military stocks and advocating a diplomatic solution. During Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Sofia on 6 July 2023, the two presidents publicly disagreed on the issue, with Zelensky asking Radev what he would do if Bulgaria itself were invaded.

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Political responsibility

On 4 December 2023, Radev vetoed ratification of an agreement providing for the free transfer of Bulgarian armoured vehicles to Ukraine, arguing that Bulgaria's security and future needs had not been sufficiently considered.

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Directly implicated

In March 2022, Radev stated that Bulgaria should maintain its veto on opening EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia until clear guarantees were obtained for Bulgarian interests. In June, he acknowledged that the French proposal incorporated much of Bulgaria's demands while criticising how the government had handled the issue.

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Directly implicated

During a presidential debate, Radev stated that Crimea was 'currently Russian' and that Western sanctions had not achieved the expected results. Ukraine summoned the Bulgarian ambassador and demanded a retraction; the US Embassy in Sofia expressed deep concern.

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Personally implicated

In January 2020, prosecutors published intercepted conversations from an investigation involving the Air Force commander, stating that one participant was probably Radev. Prosecutors reported suspicions of possible obstruction of the transfer of information to the anti-corruption commission in the case concerning Dessislava Radeva and referred the scope of presidential immunity to the Constitutional Court.

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Directly implicated

Following prosecutors' searches of presidential offices, Radev joined demonstrators and called for the 'mafia' to be driven out of the executive and prosecution service. He subsequently supported protests demanding, among other things, the resignations of Boyko Borissov's government and the Prosecutor General.

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Political responsibility

Bulgaria's anti-corruption commission examined a complaint alleging that Radev, while commanding the Air Force, had favoured his future wife Dessislava Gencheva in her employment and benefited from advantageous property arrangements. It also examined allegations concerning the purchase and use of housing.

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Directly implicated

On 7 November 2019, Radev refused to sign the decree appointing Ivan Geshev as Prosecutor General, criticising the lack of competition because there was only one candidate and arguing that this undermined the office's legitimacy. After the Supreme Judicial Council reaffirmed the same choice, he ultimately signed the decree in accordance with the constitutional procedure.

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Political responsibility

In 2017, GERB accused Rumen Radev of favouring Swedish Gripen aircraft in Bulgaria's fighter replacement process, particularly because of his previous role as Air Force commander. Parliament established an ad hoc committee to examine the procedure, which Radev described as an attempted political 'tribunal'.

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Political responsibility