Prime Minister Rumen Radev sent an open letter to the political groups in the European Parliament, through its President, Roberta Metsola. The letter follows the adoption of a resolution by the EP earlier Thursday expressing support and solidarity with Bulgaria’s efforts to investigate drone attacks against commercial vessels in the Black Sea and rescue their distressed crews. “However, at the last minute, the text was amended to include unfounded and misleading insinuations about the Bulgarian government,” the government press service said.
“At a time when all the government’s efforts are focused on addressing critical national security issues, the European Parliament is being used as a political instrument by Bulgarian MEPs with limited political legitimacy in their own country to pursue a doomed national election campaign,” Radev stated in his letter to the EP’s political groups.
The EP resolution is not legally binding. According to the Prime Minister, it is both telling and regrettable that the names of Bulgarian MEPs appear among those who tabled the resolution. They are Andrey Novakov, Andrey Kovatchev, Eva Maydell, Emil Radev, Iliya Lazarov, Radan Kanev (EPP) and Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew Europe).
“On behalf of the Bulgarian government, I express my unequivocal disagreement and bewilderment at the last-minute inclusion of paragraph 6 in the draft EP resolution on the Black Sea. Introduced as a formal amendment by the Greens, it makes claims that Bulgaria’s diplomatic response and reaction towards Russia have been inadequate and that no concrete action has been taken,” the Prime Minister said in his letter.
Radev stressed that his position stems from the fact that the positive assessment of, and support for, Bulgaria’s swift response and rescue operations for the distressed crews of the attacked vessels, set out in the preceding paragraphs of the resolution, are effectively undermined by the last-minute addition of paragraph 6. This, he argued, also contradicts the very purpose of the document: to express the European Parliament’s solidarity with and support for the actions of the two Black Sea countries.
“It is absurd for MEPs to call on us to join NATO’s anti-drone initiative when Bulgaria’s Defence Minister already announced the country’s decision to join it. Moreover, the initiative was announced in February 2025, and the governments represented by the Bulgarian MEPs now tabling such amendments did nothing to secure Bulgaria’s participation,” the Prime Minister said. He added that Bulgaria would not accept MEPs dictating, in a patronizing tone, what sovereign decisions its government should make.
The Prime Minister also drew the attention of MEPs from other EU countries to the fact that Bulgaria is investigating the incidents and continues to work closely with its NATO and EU allies to identify those responsible for the attacks. “We have always regarded the European Parliament as a respected institution whose purpose is to strengthen the pro-European consensus in our societies, not to create fertile ground for manipulation and division,” Radev emphasized.
In response to what he described as omissions in the admonishing language directed at the Bulgarian government, the Prime Minister pointed to the measures and actions Bulgaria has already taken. The Bulgarian government insists that any accusations concerning the attacks on commercial vessels within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea must be based on conclusive evidence rather than hypotheses, Radev added.
Earlier on Thursday, Radev commented on the issue while speaking to journalists outside the ruling Progressive Bulgaria headquarters, following a meeting of the party’s Executive Council. He said that Bulgarian MEPs were misleading their respective political families in the European Parliament – families that, he argued, were far removed from the reality in Bulgaria – through their own ignorance.
The EP adopted a resolution condemning Russian attacks on vessels in the Black Sea, with 432 votes in favour, 52 against and 88 abstentions. The text calls on the EU to provide funding for Bulgaria and Romania to help strengthen security in the region.
Prime Minister Radev Sends Open Letter to European Parliament Political Groups over Black Sea Resolution 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-22 18:22:00
World news, international news, global news, latest world news, breaking world news, world politics, international politics. Global economy, international business, world markets, global events, international relations, geopolitical news, global affairs. Europe news, European news, EU news, European politics, Balkan news, United States news, UK news, Asia news. Bulgarians abroad, Bulgarian diaspora, Bulgarians overseas, Bulgarian communities abroad, Bulgarian citizens abroad, Bulgarian expats, Bulgarian emigrants. Bulgarian diaspora news, news for Bulgarians abroad, Bulgaria abroad, Bulgarians in Europe, Bulgarians in Germany, Bulgarians in the UK. Bulgarians in Spain, Bulgarians in Italy, Bulgarians in France, Bulgarians in the USA, Bulgarians in Canada, Bulgarians in Greece. Bulgarian communities worldwide, Bulgarian schools abroad, Bulgarian culture abroad, Bulgarian businesses abroad, Bulgarian students abroad, Bulgarian workers abroad. Consular services Bulgaria, Bulgarian embassies, Bulgarian citizens overseas, Bulgarian elections abroad, Bulgarian voting abroad, Bulgarian nationals abroad, Bulgaria international relations.
BULGARIA NEWS – NEWS AGENCY 2009–2026 2026-10-22 18:22:00