B1 TV, 9 August 2026
Summary
Here is a summary of the televised discussion on the programme ‘Check Media’, hosted by Răzvan Munteanu, alongside military analyst Ion Petrescu, geopolitical expert Vasile Simileanu and Bulgarian journalist Vladimir Mitev:
1. The drone incident at the Romanian-Bulgarian border (Kardam)
- Details of the incident: A drone crashed 100 metres inside Bulgarian territory (at Kardam), near a gas compressor station on the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline.
- Origin of the drone: Although preliminary analyses by the Bulgarian defence authorities suggest it is a Ukrainian drone (of the ‘Maya’ type) — a fact unofficially confirmed by the Ukrainian side — the guests also discussed the possibility of hybrid/asymmetric warfare manoeuvres characteristic of Russia (actions under a ‘false flag’).
- Difficulty of detection: The drones flying over the region were not effectively detected by either Romanian or Bulgarian radars.
2. Political reactions and regional diplomacy
- The position of Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev: The Bulgarian official suggested that the drone had entered from Romanian territory, noting the need to strengthen border security. The Romanian guests (Ion Petrescu and Vasile Simileanu) criticised this public statement, considering it an ‘affront’ or an ambiguous communication tactic.
- Diplomacy with Ukraine: The guests emphasised that Ukraine should communicate drone flight paths more transparently to partner states and issue a public apology for incidents in neighbouring countries’ airspace (both in Bulgaria and for previous cases in Romania).
- Bilateral relations and Romania’s position: Discussions centred on Bucharest’s lack of response to an earlier invitation extended by Rumen Radev to the Romanian President, Nicușor Dan, which was explained by the characteristic caution of the Cotroceni administration.
3. Military capabilities and security in the Black Sea
- Reaction from the Romanian Ministry of Defence: The Minister of Defence (Radu Miruță) emphasised that Romania is updating its procedures for intercepting unauthorised drones and that the Armed Forces have different response plans for peacetime and wartime.
- Air capabilities: Ion Petrescu highlighted that Romania has over 70 F-16 fighter aircraft, giving it considerable air deterrence capability in the Black Sea region (second only to Turkey).
- Cooperation initiatives: Vasile Simileanu called for closer cooperation in trilateral (Romania–Bulgaria–Turkey) or regional formats (the Black Sea QUAD project with Japanese support).
4. The Bulgarian Perspective (Vladimir Mitev)
- Public perception: In Bulgaria, the Kardam incident is viewed by the authorities more as an isolated accident, whilst public attention has been captured by a tragic domestic case (a murder in Plovdiv).
- Strategic orientation: Bulgarian experts note that Sofia does not yet have a very clearly defined strategy for Black Sea security (unlike Romania and Turkey), and Rumen Radev is currently prioritising relations with Turkey.
- Media frenzy and Russophilia: Bulgarian society is fragmented into various ‘bubbles’ of opinion. Tension is evident between the pro-European elites (who vehemently criticise Radev) and the sovereignist camp.
Video with auto-generated subtitles in English
Studio discussion
Statements by Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev
Rumen Radev
… the drone’s entry into Bulgarian airspace and its crash 100 metres inside Bulgarian territory from the direction of Romania. This occurred right near the compressor station in Romania, 200 metres from the crash site. 200 metres from the crash site lies the border checkpoint between Bulgaria and Romania at Kardam, 1,000 metres from our compressor station on the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline. The noise made by this drone was recorded by the Romanian Border Police and subsequently confirmed by the Border Police in this region.
Why are Romanian experts accusing the authorities in Sofia of cowardice and manipulation?
Răzvan Munteanu
Good afternoon, dear friends! I’m Răzvan Munteanu, here at Check Media. This is how Ukrainian drones crossed our country’s airspace and reached Bulgaria, where they nearly struck a major gas pipeline, obviously endangering the security of both Romania and Bulgaria. This is the first topic we’re analysing this evening on Check Media. Joining me on set is military analyst Ion Petrescu. Good afternoon, Colonel!
Ion Petrescu
Good afternoon, sir! Thank you very much for the invitation!
Răzvan Munteanu
Professor and geopolitician Vasile Simileanu. Good afternoon, Professor!
Vasile Simileanu
Good evening!
Răzvan Munteanu
Colonel Petrescu, as we can see, drones are passing through Romanian airspace, reaching Bulgaria, and are not being detected by either us or our Bulgarian neighbours. How do we explain this incident from a military perspective?
Ion Petrescu
What you have stated is one point of view. And, as we live in a democracy, I won’t contradict you, but, knowing the typical manoeuvres of the Russian army, as practised in the Baltic region, I observe a similar pattern of military manoeuvring in the Black Sea as well.
Răzvan Munteanu
Towards Bulgaria, you say. Towards Bulgaria… That’s a very interesting hypothesis you’re putting forward! Are you suggesting that our Bulgarian neighbours knew about that drone?
Ion Petrescu
I’m going to be a bit more blunt, at the risk of upsetting you. What bothered me was the cowardice of the Bulgarian president, who first praised the Romanian air force – which had been out for three days running to shoot down three drones – and then played dumb about the drone’s origin. Although, based on the description he himself provided, it was clear that it was a drone of Russian origin. Bulgaria, as usual, is playing both sides. We need to be careful here, because during President Iohannis’s term they made a fool of Romania before, when they refused to set up a joint naval force.
Răzvan Munteanu
A NATO presence in the Black Sea.
Ion Petrescu
And they put the Romanian head of state in an embarrassing public position. This time, the reference to Romania and the fact that the drone crashed on Bulgarian territory is also imprecise. For a head of state, the president in Sofia, not to know where the drone came from and not to publicly announce who owns it smacks of a sort of local farce.
Răzvan Munteanu
Right. I’m now reading a summary of the Bulgarian press. The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence states that preliminary analysis indicates the aircraft was, most likely, a Maya-type drone used by the Ukrainian army. The Ukrainians have acknowledged that the drone is theirs, but, of course, they’ve said that Bulgaria was not the target.
Ion Petrescu
Let’s see what happens on Monday, when the Ukrainian ambassador to Sofia – who is currently in Kyiv – is due to appear at the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Because this time it is not just a matter of presenting the wreckage of the drones, but of clarifying aspects relating to the surprising change in the direction of some Ukrainian drones — this time towards Bulgaria, and previously, as we know, towards Romania. I can assure you that some of these matters can be disclosed to the public, whilst others remain a matter for diplomatic understanding. In any case, it is an unfortunate incident.
Răzvan Munteanu
But, essentially, what needs to be clarified in this case? The Ukrainian ambassador goes to Sofia and meets with the Bulgarian foreign minister. What do they need to clarify together in this case?
Ion Petrescu
In what context did Bulgaria come under the scrutiny of the military authorities in Kyiv, leading to such a situation?
Răzvan Munteanu
Was it a deliberate action, or is it an incident?
Ion Petrescu
Based on the public information available so far, it is an incident. However, given the claim that it came from Romanian territory, the question is how it came from Romanian territory. It has not been stated that it flew over Romanian airspace, and the Ministry of National Defence denies that the drone in question had taken such a route previously. And I give the Ministry of National Defence the benefit of the doubt.
Răzvan Munteanu
Right. Mr Simileanu, an extremely important topic discussed in Sofia. It appears that Bulgaria, too, is a target of these drones from the Russian-Ukrainian war. Romania, as we know, Poland, the Baltic states — the border countries have faced these situations. In contrast, Bulgaria, and previously Greece, are countries which do not, however, share a direct border with the front lines in Ukraine.
Vasile Simileanu
I would support what Colonel Petrescu said earlier: this ‘stabbing in the back’ tactic does not help bilateral cooperation, in the sense that we have several frameworks that we are developing together. From my point of view, if the drone was Ukrainian, the Ukrainians should, first and foremost, communicate the frequencies of these drones so that they can be shot down by the states that are being penetrated. And this has been established; it has also been established very clearly in Ankara. Another point of view is that this drone certainly came from maritime territory – that is, from the sea – and flew parallel to the Romanian-Bulgarian border. And I do not see why Prime Minister Radev should need to strengthen Bulgaria’s border security in relation to Romania. As far as I know, Romania does not pose a threat to Bulgaria; we are both members of NATO and the European Union. So this is quite a serious affront he has directed at Romania.
Răzvan Munteanu
So do you consider the Bulgarian official’s statement on this matter to be an affront to Romania?
Vasile Simileanu
Yes, an affront to Romania, with the accusations that the drone came from Romanian territory and was not detected by the Romanian army.
Răzvan Munteanu
Right, but Bulgarian leaders say that neither the Romanian nor the Bulgarian armed forces detected it.
Vasile Simileanu
In other words, there is no direct accusation against Romania. Ukraine should make these frequencies available to its allies, the allied states, so that we no longer have incidents like the one in Constanța or the one here. I’d like to add something. The same applies to the incident involving the drone found at an airport in Germany. So we absolutely must address this, because we, the Estonians, the Lithuanians and the Poles have all experienced such incidents. This therefore concerns bilateral cooperation with Ukraine, if the drones are Ukrainian. If the drones are Russian, it is clear: this is a case of those multimodal asymmetric manipulations characteristic of Russian hybrid warfare.
Ion Petrescu
A few details. The current Prime Minister of Bulgaria was previously President of Bulgaria. Secondly, he was a military pilot. He is familiar with the specifics of air missions. And experience has shown — prior to the transformation of Romania, Bulgaria and the other former socialist states — that fighter aircraft missions, whether ours or theirs, due to the small size of national airspace, also involved flying through neighbouring airspace. For example, Romanian military aircraft would, of course, fly through the airspace of what was then the Republic of Hungary, having given the required notifications. What am I getting at with these points? When you are aware of such details, it is wise to exercise caution at the highest level. At the level of the Bulgarian government, you must present the reality: that this is, in effect, a foreign intervention by air. So, by immediately highlighting the danger that it might have struck a pipeline of interest to several states in the region, it smacks of manipulation.
Vasile Simileanu
If I may, we should also consider operations under a false flag.
Răzvan Munteanu
Hold on a moment, gentlemen, we’ve gone off in a different direction. I mean, the Ukrainians have admitted it’s their drone, the Bulgarians have said it’s Ukraine’s drone. What could possibly be a false-flag operation here?
Vasile Simileanu
It’s very easy for the Russians to make a Ukrainian drone.
Răzvan Munteanu
Right, but once the Ukrainians have acknowledged that it’s their drone, I don’t think that scenario is any longer on the cards. Let’s see what the Defence Minister has to say and then we’ll come back to this topic.
Statements by the Romanian Defence Minister, Radu Miruță
Radu Miruță, Romanian Defence Minister:
A change in the way we’ve decided to intercept these drones. The two approaches are compatible for the time being, because Russia will also change its tactics, and we’ll have to readjust what has now proven to work. I see that drones bearing the words ‘Made in Russia’ are entering Romania without authorisation and in breach of international law, given that Romania is not a country at war. There is an extremely clear rule stating that the country from which such a drone took off is responsible wherever that drone ends up. How many have there been so far? Thirty-two, if I’m not mistaken, since the start of the war. I’m often asked what we’ll do if 150 drones arrive at once and how we’ll go about chasing them down. The Romanian army is organised in terms of resources – troop numbers, funding and response plans – differently in peacetime compared to wartime. If 150 drones arrive, we are no longer in a state of peace. The Romanian army’s response would be different in that scenario.
Why cooperation between Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey is crucial
Răzvan Munteanu
Please, Mr Simileanu.
Vasile Simileanu
Yes, he’s right on that point. From that moment on, we enter a different security situation, and it’s only natural that, when we enter a different security situation, we should have very good relations with our partners. We can see that at the Ankara Summit, a great many things were agreed upon for the Eastern Flank, including for Romania and the Black Sea, with clear tasks for Romania, Turkey and Bulgaria. So, once again, we return to Bulgaria. In this regard, we should be cooperating, not undermining one another. Also from this perspective, you should be aware that there is a Japanese project – a Black Sea QUAD with Japan as the donor and Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania involved – aimed at securing the Black Sea. Unfortunately, relations with Romania have not yet been established, but Japan’s relations with Turkey and Bulgaria have begun to take shape.
Răzvan Munteanu
Right. You are aware that Romania has a very good ambassador in Tokyo, Mr Ovidiu Raețchi, who is doing a good job. Colonel, what is your view on this matter, given the statements made by Romania’s Minister of Defence?
Ion Petrescu
The Minister is right. According to a law passed by the Romanian Parliament, the Romanian Armed Forces should have a strength of 120,000 personnel. So far, this transition from the current strength — which is half of what I mentioned earlier — has been delayed for economic reasons. However, I would like to point out, also during this programme, to certain commentators and even to some neighbouring countries, that in the Black Sea region, if we look closely, the Romanian Air Force ranks second, after the Turkish Air Force. The Romanian Air Force has over 70 F-16 fighter aircraft and therefore has the capacity to react rapidly from the air against hostile aerial targets, something which has already been demonstrated.
Răzvan Munteanu
In this ranking, Colonel, do you also take into account the military forces of the Russian Federation and Ukraine in your analysis?
Ion Petrescu
The two states are in conflict, but by referring to this public benchmark I have just mentioned, I simply wanted to emphasise that we possess a deterrent capability and, regardless of where a strategic surprise might come from, we have the capacity to respond appropriately.
Răzvan Munteanu
Right, gentlemen. I suggest we see what the Bulgarians have to say on this subject. So, to reiterate: drones are no longer confined to the countries bordering the conflict in Ukraine, but are crossing beyond that border, with Bulgaria being the most recent example.
Bulgarian reactions to the incident
A Bulgarian speaker
I couldn’t work out what that thing was. It exploded just once. And that was it.
Second Bulgarian speaker
An unpleasant situation affecting residents of the surrounding villages – and perhaps even those in more remote areas. I believe the local population’s concerns are well-founded.
Third Bulgarian speaker
The Kardam gas compressor station is situated about one kilometre inside our territory, in a straight line, from the site where the incident took place.
The Sofia perspective: The drone at the border, radar shortcomings and the joint report to NATO
Răzvan Munteanu
Yes, and joining us from Bulgaria via Zoom is journalist Vladimir Mitev. Good evening, Vladimir!
Vladimir Mitev
Good evening!
Răzvan Munteanu
How is this incident being perceived by the Bulgarian public?
Vladimir Mitev
So far, Bulgaria has remained somewhat more distant from the conflict in Ukraine; we haven’t seen the conflict spill over into Bulgarian territory to any great extent. This is the first time, I believe, that something of this magnitude has happened. My impression is, however, that the authorities, the government, are emphasising that it is more of an accident. It has been stressed that we must assume it was a Ukrainian drone. Ukraine has merely stated that it had no intention of causing such a problem or provocation. And I suppose that precisely because of this announcement — that Bulgaria, together with Poland and Romania, will report the latest incidents of this kind at the North Atlantic Alliance Council meeting next week — I do not expect anything significant to follow. It will likely just be a report, but I do not expect this to escalate into anything major.
Răzvan Munteanu
I see. In Romania, when similar incidents occurred, there was pressure from the press regarding air defence capabilities. We are aware of the events in Galați, Tulcea and elsewhere. Is there a sense of dissatisfaction within Bulgarian society over the fact that a Ukrainian drone, albeit unintentionally, entered Bulgarian airspace and was not identified?
Vladimir Mitev
Of course, it has been established that the Bulgarian air defence system and radars failed to do what was required. Even the Ministry of Defence and the Prime Minister himself have stated that Bulgaria has been very slow to procure more modern radars. Here we must make a side note: the current Prime Minister was previously President and is a former Air Force general. There was a period when the government he appointed was in power whilst he was president. So, theoretically, if our elites had wanted to, action could have been taken by now. But in any case, I can say that there is a nuance, a specific aspect here. A very serious incident occurred, an unexpected event in Plovdiv, in which some young people killed a man in a very brutal manner. Both incidents coincided in time. And I think the focus on Bulgarian social media is directed more towards the brutality in Plovdiv, whilst Kardam, being a peripheral area, attracts less concern in Sofia, Plovdiv or the major cities of Bulgaria.
Răzvan Munteanu
Yes, very interesting, Vladimir. Look, please stay with us. I’ve got a few more questions prepared for you, but I’d also like to speak with our guests in the studio. In fact, the discussion is open between all four of us. Colonel, we see a common issue that we share with the Bulgarian army. Is there potential for collaboration to secure the airspace between Romania and Bulgaria against these drones?
Ion Petrescu
Certainly, the intention in Bucharest is there. I do not know how the bilateral talks went, if they took place at all. At the same time, I would like to raise a question regarding the fact that Bulgaria is a NATO member state, as the Bulgarian Prime Minister himself announced that forces and assets designed to prevent drones from entering from the direction of Turkey would be redeployed from Bulgaria’s southern border. Well, Turkey is a NATO member and an ally of both Bulgaria and Romania! And those forces and assets are to be redeployed to the border with Romania. In other words, it’s a clear mess. There is no overarching strategy to ensure Bulgaria has all-round defence. Viewing Turkey in the same way as Greece does — another NATO member state, which regards Turkey with hostility due to territorial claims — is not the best solution. Especially since the distinguished guest from Bulgaria mentioned the NATO-level meeting, and Romania will indeed present its viewpoint on this incident there.
And not only this incident, but also previous experiences with incidents that have been the focus of public attention in Romania. Similarly, Poland will also present a report on the difficult situations in which the Russian Federation has placed the Polish state, again involving such drones. Of course, this is not a case of a Russian drone, but Moscow’s intention to capture the attention of certain NATO member states on the eastern border of the transatlantic area is evident, with a view to creating a state of military tension and a pretext for a possible redeployment of Russian troops.
Răzvan Munteanu
Vladimir Mitev, as far as I am aware, there has been no official reaction from Romania regarding the route taken by this drone, or whether it passed through Romanian airspace or not. How is this issue being covered in the Bulgarian press? Is Romania being portrayed as a transit country for the drone, or are there doubts about this?
Vladimir Mitev
From what I’ve read, the initial press statement mentioned that the drone had apparently entered Romanian territory, but no further details were given and the matter isn’t really being discussed at the moment.
I do not believe there are any claims or grievances of this kind. Rather, I think discussions will take place with the Ukrainian side. As far as I understand, the Ukrainian ambassador is to be summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. And we will probably see from there how this situation develops.
Răzvan Munteanu
Yes. Mr Simileanu, what lessons must we – Romania, but also Bulgaria – learn from these incidents? Because drones are flying over our countries and we can see that it is not just Romania that has a problem identifying them. Bulgaria has had them, Poland has had them, and the Baltic states have had them too.
Vasile Simileanu
Exactly, you put it very well regarding identification. First of all, an observation: if the drone was not identified by the Bulgarians, how do they know it came from Romanian territory?
Răzvan Munteanu
Probably for technical reasons, you can work out roughly the route that drone took.
Vasile Simileanu
These issues need to be discussed at the level of our political and military decision-makers and at the level of NATO’s political and military decision-makers. And let’s hope that this will happen at the NATO meeting. Furthermore, we have a very good trilateral framework, established last year: the Romania–Bulgaria–Turkey trilateral, which is working. I am convinced that we can engage in dialogue within this trilateral framework to prevent such incidents, which are unpleasant for all states in the region. Because we must acknowledge that drones have reached Turkish ports, they have reached Greece, and they have reached other areas and other states. So, from this point of view, we must reach an agreement so that we no longer issue flamboyant statements and seek to gain political capital by accusing one country or another.
Diplomatic relations between Bucharest, Sofia and Kyiv: From ignored invitations to demands for a public apology for incidents
Răzvan Munteanu
Vladimir, do you think Prime Minister Radev’s public statement was a criticism of Romania in the context of this drone incident?
Vladimir Mitev
No, not at all. Having followed the discussion on the programme, I think this question is relevant: what does Rumen Radev hope to achieve in the Black Sea region? It will probably also be of interest to your audience that I recently conducted an interview with Yordan Bozhilov, who is probably Bulgaria’s best-known defence expert, who also collaborates with the New Strategy Centre in Romania and is, I believe, very well known in Romania. I asked a similar question: in what direction will Radev move, particularly in the Black Sea region?
Yordan Bozhilov’s message was that Bulgaria does not yet have a strategy for the Black Sea region, whilst Romania and Turkey have defined much more clearly how they view both the risks and their defence activities.
Furthermore, I believe we shared the view that Radev is currently more interested in Turkey. In other words, we can say that some of Radev’s voters are Bulgarian Turks, and there are even MPs from his party in Parliament who are of Turkish ethnicity. It is clear that cooperation is taking place, or at least that solutions are being sought to deepen relations with Turkey.
As for Romania, I recall that when Nicușor Dan was elected president, Rumen Radev immediately sent him an invitation to visit Sofia. As we can see, this visit did not take place, nor have we observed any public initiative on Radev’s part or from any other quarter to date.
Răzvan Munteanu
Yes, that was very interesting. That is something I personally was not aware of. Colonel Petrescu, Nicușor Dan was invited by Radev to Sofia, yet there was no reaction from Bucharest.
Ion Petrescu
As we know, President Nicușor Dan is very cautious in his foreign policy actions and, as President Traian Băsescu quite rightly said, he operates at a different pace to that of his predecessors. But here, however, we should bear one thing in mind. I would be delighted if, on Monday, when the Ukrainian ambassador was summoned to Sofia, she was told what Bucharest should have told Kyiv: Ukraine owes an apology to Bulgaria for this incident, but it also owes an apology to Romania for the incident in Constanța. A public apology, issued at the level of the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv.
Răzvan Munteanu
Just a moment, Colonel. Should Bulgaria be asking Ukraine to apologise on Romania’s behalf?
Romania has had ample time to do this itself…
Ion Petrescu
I said on Monday, when she meets with the ambassador.
Răzvan Munteanu
Did you see the Ukrainian ambassador in Bucharest being summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the statement?
Ion Petrescu
Precisely because I didn’t see it, I pointed out that it would be appropriate to do so.
Răzvan Munteanu
But there is a difference at the same time. We must acknowledge this: the drones we’ve been discussing here, which alarmed the whole country, were Russian drones attacking Ukraine that were diverted into our country. Most of them, though not all. Mr Simileanu, please.
Vasile Simileanu
Sofia’s response was much swifter. We saw that Kyiv’s response was also very prompt. Here, two weeks after the drone incident in Constanța, there was a period of uncertainty…
Ion Petrescu
The drone was Ukrainian, not Russian.
Vasile Simileanu
It was Ukrainian, exactly. We received no reaction whatsoever from Kyiv, and that means that mutual respect is…
Răzvan Munteanu
And Kyiv responds in the way it is asked to respond. Of course. And we, if we were in Kyiv’s position, would have done the same.
Vasile Simileanu
Should the Foreign Ministry or the President have intervened in this…
Răzvan Munteanu
It seems normal to me, you know, when we have a security and defence strategy in which we aim to be the second-strongest power east of Germany, right?
Vasile Simileanu
We aim to be the second-strongest power. Let’s say that, alongside Poland, we must be the leading power within the B9 framework.
Răzvan Munteanu
In theory we can be, because we meet the geopolitical criteria.
Vasile Simileanu
That’s very important, at least in this context.
Răzvan Munteanu
Right. And that’s what we want, and that’s all. The experts in Bulgaria tell us…
Vasile Simileanu
Yes, but we need to be players, Mr Munteanu.
Răzvan Munteanu
That’s where we’re getting to, Mr Simileanu. Experts in Bulgaria are telling us that President Nicușor Dan was invited to Sofia by Prime Minister Radev and not even a response was given.
Vasile Simileanu
If you’re in touch with Cotroceni, it would be a good idea to contact Cotroceni and ask why exactly this wasn’t done – and whether the information is accurate, of course.
Ion Petrescu
I’m convinced there were serious reasons behind the delay in the Romanian President’s visit to Sofia.
Răzvan Munteanu
Right. Let’s proceed on the basis of this scenario. What reasons might there be, Colonel?
Ion Petrescu
Obviously, there are reasons that are not in the public domain.
Headlines in the Bulgarian press: Political polarisation, pro-Russian sentiment and bridges between East and West
Răzvan Munteanu
Really? Right. Vladimir Mitev, I’ll turn back to you with an analysis of this situation, and I’d like to ask you whether there are differences in the way the pro-Western press in Bulgaria covers this drone issue, compared to the pro-Russian press in Bulgaria.
Vladimir Mitev
Yes. Before I answer, just a clarification: you mentioned that Prime Minister Radev had invited Nicușor Dan, but that was President Radev, in his capacity as president, a year ago. Right.
Răzvan Munteanu
A year ago. He was president then; now he is prime minister.
Vladimir Mitev
So, there have been significant developments in which Radev stepped down as president and became prime minister. Of course, I can understand that this explains certain things.
But as far as the press and Bulgarian society in general are concerned, there is a lot of discussion – even amongst people in the West who are familiar with Bulgarian society – that this is a society of cliques, of smaller or larger groups; there are several bubbles within Bulgarian society. I believe that on many issues there is no unanimous or uniform reaction. It seems to me that we can see very different reactions within Bulgarian society at the same time. And, of course, your relationship with Prime Minister Radev and his party, Progressive Bulgaria, matters a great deal. I can see very clearly that there are more traditional intellectual elites, linked also to integration into the European Union, who oppose him, perhaps even vehemently; they do not accept anything constructive from Radev. Everything is subject to criticism. So, whatever happens, they are critical of him, including regarding a press conference he organised or the way some ministers dressed, and so on. Everything is dismissed, if I may say so, by those who have no patience with Radev.
Răzvan Munteanu
Vladimir Mitev, we’re nearing the end and I’d like to summarise the question briefly. Firstly, is there strong pro-Russian propaganda in the Bulgarian media landscape?
Vladimir Mitev
There’s quite a bit of research on this, but I’d say rather that there are different shades of Russophilia. I’ve said before, including in other forums, that there’s a tendency in Bulgaria to act as a sort of bridge between East and West, and I don’t think one can say quite so clearly that it’s solely a Russian trend. It seems to me that there’s also an interplay with other forces from elsewhere.
Răzvan Muntaenu
That’s a very interesting point, if that’s the case. It would seem to me that Bulgaria is the only country where there is no Russian propaganda. Thank you very much for your comments, Vladimir Mitev. We’ll take a short commercial break and be back on Check Media in a few minutes.
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