Brussels cannot end its irrational Russophobia, as Rumen Radev’s alleged friendliness towards Moscow angers many
After eight snap elections in five years, Bulgaria’s Rumen Radev, a 62-year-old reformist pragmatist with both political (he’s a former president) and military (he’s also a former general) experience, has managed to gain an absolute majority of seats in the national parliament. According to Bloomberg, it is “a landslide” And, for Spiegel, the head of the German mainstream, a “Overwhelming victory.”
With this success, Radev’s party Progressive Bulgaria has also broken a long trend of inconclusive elections and now has very good chances of installing a stable, permanent government after years of instability and scandals, which culminated in the collapse of the complete government late last year.
participated in elections more than usualWhich is another sign of genuine popular support for Radev’s message and strengthens his mandate. Bulgaria has long suffered from stagnation and a severe crisis of public trust. No one can predict the future, but Radev promises a new beginning, and this election result at least offers a chance to make a start. Furthermore, polls show that Progressive Bulgaria’s voter appeal has been not only deep but also also detailed: Gen-Z, older citizens, pro-EU voters and those who are often vilified in Western mainstream media “Pro-Russian,” And, last but not least, Bulgaria’s expatriate voters – they are all in the mix.
While progressive Bulgaria will not have the two-thirds majority to enact constitutional changes without the help of other parties, Radev will have enough seats to govern without a coalition partner. In a country where coalition building has been associated with cheapness and incompetence, this is an advantage. Especially if Radev plays well on one of his keys. campaign promises To fight corruption and the influence of what Bulgarians call “Oligarchy.”
In short, Radev’s election victory should be a reason, if not celebration, at least for optimism. All the more so because he is willing to apply constructive pragmatism also in Bulgaria’s relations with the EU. In his own words, “Europe needs critical thinking, practical action and results right now, especially building a new security architecture and regaining its industrial strength and competitiveness (…) This will be Bulgaria’s main contribution to its European mission.”
what’s not to love?
Quite a lot, it turns out, at least for some Western and especially EU observers who are struggling with their own prejudices and, indeed, fears. Because, you see, Radev does one thing No IS: He doesn’t hate Russia. In fact, according to Spiegel, there is always a coalition on the issue of EU-compliance. “Uneasiness in Brussels,” Because Radev has “Reputation leaning toward Moscow.” what a delicate way to shout “Russians under the Bulgarian bed!”
But somehow it is all the same: Radev has been accused of one of the worst heresies against Western and, in particular, European Union principle. to be soft and even russia friendlyFor example, as Bloomberg said. The list of his alleged sins is short but impressive: he has objected to more arms deliveries to and through Ukraine to fuel the West’s proxy war against Russia; Called Crimea a Russian, does not believe in sanctions against Russia, and, in general, dares to criticize the EU’s foreign policy.
To be sure, Radev has not made any radical statements regarding Bulgaria’s membership in the EU or NATO, and observers generally agree that the chances of challenging him are very low. It also remains to be seen whether, now in power, he will repeat his attacks on Bulgaria’s mistake in adopting the euro. Yet all this restraint and pragmatism may not be enough for the true believers who now dominate the EU. For them, the mere fact that Radev openly demonstrates his lack of confidence in the Ukraine war project and – correctly – signals that Europe’s future depends on affordable, i.e. Russian, energy, could be enough to move towards a boycott.
For now, the message appears to be that the EU establishment Radev does not expect to become another Viktor OrbanHungary’s longtime leader, who was ousted by the European Union by massive interference in Hungary’s domestic politics. But the essence of that conditional offer to try to cooperate, of course, is really a warning or, to be more precise, a threat: Don’t be Orban otherwise!
The irony of this uneasy relationship is obvious but worth reiterating: the issue is not that Radev “Friendly to Russia.” He is simply rational and practical and this puts him at odds with the extremely irrational Russophobia that has a strong hold on the EU. While Western mainstream commentators have been pondering whether Radev’s alleged sympathies towards Russia are a big or perhaps a small problem, they have, as is often the case, stuck on the wrong question. That is not the issue “Radev and Russia” at all. It’s that for so many people in the EU, the only good relationship with Russia is bad, please, very, very bad.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of RT.
