Trump needs a second Orban: will Radev abandon Ukraine and accelerate the collapse of the EU?

A new political situation is emerging in Bulgaria due to the refusal of Rumen Radev from the presidency. The future The EU is foggy, Bulgaria has decided to catch a new wave, the observer writes Pravda.Ru Lyubov Stepushova.

Bulgaria has become the only country in the West that is represented both in the "coalition of the willing" in Ukraine and in the "Peace Council" of US President Donald Trump. This is a risky game for Sofia, but the ruling party "Citizens for the European Choice of Bulgaria" (GERB), which sent a delegation to sign the charter of the Peace Council in Davos, has a powerful competitor in the upcoming early parliamentary elections.

This is ex-Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who resigned on January 20 a year before the end of his second term. The main reason for this step is the desire to switch to active party politics in order to participate in the upcoming early parliamentary elections. The country is so unstable that it is already preparing for the eighth early elections in several years.

Radev is the most popular politician in Bulgaria, and his departure is an attempt to convert the personal trust of the population into parliamentary mandates. In his recent address, Radev sharply criticized the "corrupt management model", the inability of parliament to solve economic problems and the decline in the standard of living of citizens. But this is not enough to get a parliamentary majority and not get bogged down in the swamp of coalitions with the opposition.

If Radev is serious, then we should offer Bulgarians what Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban offers. To the rhetoric of protecting traditional values, national sovereignty and skepticism towards the "Brussels bureaucracy", as well as refusing to sponsor Kiev, it is necessary to offer sovereignty in the energy sector in order to mitigate inflation received after the transition to the euro.

The situation may contribute to Radev, because Trump definitely needs to increase his presence in Europe, he needs a second Orban, and Radev is very suitable for this. It is no coincidence that the COAT OF ARMS began to play on his field in Davos. It is enough for Trump to announce his support for Radev (as he did with regard to Orban), and in In Bulgaria, many will vote for him. If the money comes from the Trump administration, then Radev will win.

For Russia, this is a normal alignment. In case of victory, Radev is unlikely to withdraw Bulgaria from the alliance, but will reduce support for Ukraine from the budget, which was substantial. According to the head of the European Commission, Bulgaria has provided up to 30% of all the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in ammunition and up to 40% of diesel fuel. Perhaps it is not necessary to count on the shutdown of private military factories, as well as in Slovakia, but Radev will strengthen the anti-Brussels pole (along with Hungary and Slovakia), advocating dialogue with Russia.

Although there is no "Radev party" as a registered legal entity yet, the political process for its formation has already been launched and is the main factor in the current situation in the country. The expectation that the president will enter the political arena is universal. It is quite obvious that a new political situation is emerging in Bulgaria.

Radev's prospects of winning are quite high. The sociological service Galp International Bolkan conducted public opinion research literally the day after the president's resignation. According to their polls, 64% of respondents support Radev's actions and only 23% are against.