Ilayda Cakirtekin
04 March 2026•Update: 04 March 2026
ISTANBUL
Bulgaria's former President Rumen Radev warned Wednesday that strikes against Iran pose a "real risk" to Bulgaria's security and criticized the "passive behavior" of the caretaker cabinet.
"Bulgaria is in the immediate vicinity of two armed conflicts. The one in the Middle East is growing rapidly and has already encompassed the entire region. The strikes against Iran pose a real risk to our security," Radev wrote on social media.
He criticized the “passive behavior” of the caretaker cabinet, saying that the way it “downplays” the risks and fails to take necessary measures is “alarming.”
Pointing to the spike in oil and natural gas prices due to the conflict, he urged the cabinet to review Bulgaria’s oil and gas reserves and ensure they are ready for use if necessary.
"The entire nomenclature of the state reserve must be checked. Disruptions in supply chains and rising fuel prices risk hitting all sectors of the European economy, of which Bulgaria is a part. The risk of deficits at all levels is real. It must be predicted and mitigated with proactive actions," Radev noted.
He further argued that the war could generate a new influx of migrants in the coming months, recalling that Bulgaria is "the first European country on the migration route from the Middle East," and should raise the issue at the next European Council, "without waiting for someone else to do so."
"The attacks with drones and ballistic missiles near our region require the Ministry of Defense and security services to discuss the protection of strategic sites from such threats, which requires urgent development of countermeasures," Radev added.
Tensions have escalated across the Middle East since the US and Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran on Saturday, killing over 800 people, including the Iranian supreme leader and senior military officials.
Iran has responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Gulf countries, which host US military assets.
