During before yesterdas’s debate, when asked by Anastas Gerdjikov who Crimea belongs to, Rumen Radev said it belonged to Russia.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Bulgarian ambassador to Kiev because of President Rumen Radev’s statement that Crimea is Russian.
The Ukrainian side conveyed to the Ambassador of Bulgaria the position of Kiev regarding the incorrect and unacceptable statement of President Rumen Radev regarding Crimea during yesterday’s pre-election TV debates.
It was emphasized that the words of the current Bulgarian president do not contribute to the development of good neighborly relations between Ukraine and Bulgaria and are in sharp dissonance with Sofia’s official position in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
“We expect Bulgarian President Rumen Radev to correct his statement yesterday,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Ambassador Kostadin Kojabashev, for his part, assured the Ukrainian side of Bulgaria’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, Crimea’s status as an integral part of the country’s territory and efforts to deoccupy the peninsula, in particular through Bulgaria’s participation in the Crimean Platform. .
During yesterday’s debate between the two presidential candidates, when asked by Prof. Anastas Gerdjikov who Crimea belongs to, Rumen Radev said it belonged to Russia.
“It is extremely important to have pragmatism in foreign policy,” Radev said. He noted that the sanctions imposed on Russia as a result of its actions in Crimea are not working.
“How many years since then we have not changed our behavior, we have no effect from these sanctions,” Radev said. He added that the EU Council is looking for pragmatic approaches to the issue.
“Russia is an important factor for security in the fight against terrorism and we must not forget that,” Radev said.
“At the moment he is Russian, whatever he is,” Rumen Radev replied to his opponent Anastas Gerdjikov’s remark that he had not heard from him whose Crimea it was.
Radev on the topic of Crimea: There is no drama, the question is absolutely clear
The annexation of Crimea is in violation of international law, but as I said at the debate last night, there are realities in politics and at the moment Crimea is Russian, said our head of state
There is no drama, the question is absolutely clear. The annexation of Crimea is in violation of international law, but as I said at the debate last night – there are realities in politics and at the moment Crimea is Russian.
This was commented by Rumen Radev at the closing of his election campaign in Plovdiv, quoted by DarikNews.bg
Earlier in the day, Ukraine called the Bulgarian ambassador to the country, asking “the Bulgarian president to correct his statement yesterday.”
The topic was also commented by the vice president and candidate for a new term Iliana Yotova.
“We have long been part of those European leaders, like Mrs Merkel, Mr Macron, who say that the EU-Russia summit should be resumed long ago, where all these issues should be put on the table, as sanctions against Russia “They are reaffirmed every six months. The opinion of many experts and leaders in Europe is that these meetings should be resumed. All that needs to be decided is at the negotiating table,” Yotova added.
During the pre-election debate between the two contenders for the presidency on BNT last night, when asked by Prof. Anastas Gerdjikov to whom Crimea belongs, Rumen Radev said: To Russia.
On this occasion, today the Ukrainian side handed over to Ambassador Kostadin Kojabashev the position of Kiev on “the incorrect and unacceptable statement of the President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev regarding Crimea.”
It was emphasized that the words of the current Bulgarian president do not contribute to the development of good neighborly relations between Ukraine and Bulgaria and are in sharp dissonance with Sofia’s official position in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
Rumen Radev and Iliana Yotova closed their election campaign on Friday with a large-scale procession on the main pedestrian street of the city of Plovdiv. It started from the square in front of the fountain and reached the Monument of the Unification of Bulgaria.
Radev told supporters that he would continue the struggle to abolish the authoritarian and oligarchic model of government and eradicate “the government that drained the republican resource and dragged it into lockers and sacks.” Radev also pointed out the support that the parties of change have declared in order to continue the common causes and common goals they have for the future of Bulgaria.
“Bulgaria of development, of the law, of the future as a modern, European, democratic, free state, and not for Bulgaria of lockers and sacks. Bulgaria is no longer the fatherland of the gang. We want to have a future we are not ashamed of. To bequeath really bright days for our children and I am convinced that together we will do it “, said the presidential candidate.
