What to expect from Bulgaria under Rumen Radev?
Former President Rumen Radev's Progressive Bulgaria (PB) party won a clear majority in the parliamentary elections in Bulgaria on 19 April. Observers describe Radev as pro-Russian and speculate that he might take on Viktor Orbán's role as troublemaker within the EU. The Bulgarian media, however, is less certain about how Radev play his cards.
Mystery man elected
The Bulgarians have no idea who they have voted for, explains Deutsche Welle's Bulgarian service:
“Wielding an absolute majority in parliament, which no party has had in almost three decades, Progressive Bulgaria can now do as it pleases. The question is: what exactly does the party want, and who exactly is going to put it into practice? Because as far as its political profile and membership are concerned, this party remains a mystery. ... As president, Radev ran a campaign full of vague messages and meetings with voters while being carefully shielded from confrontations with opponents and journalists. We can expect that as prime minister he will continue to exercise as much caution as possible in order to avoid direct responsibility for specific decisions.”
Anti-EU voters will be disappointed
Webcafé explains:
“Voters who had expected that his moderate stance towards Russia would lead to a comprehensive shift in Bulgaria's geopolitical orientation feel let down, as Radev is unlikely to be as radical as they had hoped. That is, of course, not a bad thing. On the contrary – anyone with even a basic understanding of politics and how the state functions should know that playing games with the idea of leaving the EU and Nato would amount to political and economic suicide for Bulgaria.”