site.btaBulgaria Pursues Very Balanced, Good Foreign Policy, GERB Leader Borissov Says

Commenting on the no-confidence motion initiated by Vazrazhdane, GERB leader Boyko Borissov argued that Bulgaria is conducting a very balanced and good foreign policy. Borissov made his remarks to reporters in the corridors of Parliament on Thursday.

Three opposition groups in Parliament - Vazrazhdane, MECh and Velichie, Wednesday moved for a vote of no-confidence against the government of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, arguing that it has "systematically failed in the country's foreign policy". The motion was undersigned by 54 MPs.

“Bulgaria is in an excellent position with both the U.S. and Europe, as well as with our other partners. I don’t even see what the issue with our foreign policy is. We have taken a firm course toward the eurozone and a European rule-of-law state. If that is a problem, we will defend it in Parliament with the votes of those who want Bulgaria to join the eurozone,” Borissov commented.

Regarding Prime Minister Zhelyazkov’s participation in the Peace and Security Meeting for Ukraine in Paris on March 27, Borissov said: “Bulgaria has a clear National Assembly decision, and within this framework, the commitments that the prime minister can make are limited.”

On Toll Fee Increases

Commenting on the planned increase in toll fees for heavy-duty vehicles and vignette prices for passenger cars, Borissov said that such an increase was justified. “What’s the problem with the fact that the money collected will go into the budget to maintain these highways? We already have 50,000 cars using the highways. Asphalt is not iron, and even iron wears out. This infrastructure needs constant maintenance. Highways are a luxury. The whole world operates on this system,” he said.

His remarks followed criticism earlier in the day from Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria Co-chair Kiril Petkov, who referred to the price of the planned Ruse - Byala motorway, which the Road Infrastructure Agency reported had spiked from BGN 25 million to BGN 50 million per km. Petkov added: "Where is that money coming from? The toll will increase by 10% in April, by another 10% in September. So, every time the Bulgarian people start to feel that the old model of having their money taken away is coming back, they should think of Boyko, Peevski, TISP, of this new coalition."

On the Bulgargaz-Botas Agreement

Regarding the agreement between Bulgargaz and Turkish energy company Botas, Borissov claimed that Bulgaria initially paid BGN 260 million without receiving a single cubic meter of gas and now owes an additional BGN 218 million. “Since November [2024], we have been paying BGN 50,000 more per day. So, dear Bulgarians, you are not paying BGN 1 million per day, but BGN 1.05 million,” Borissov said. According to him, terminating the contract would require paying nearly BGN 3 billion in total.

On Kiril Petkov’s Criticism

“I won’t comment on Kiril Petkov,” Borissov said after the CC-DB co-chair earlier claimed that “Over the past two weeks, we have seen the ‘New Beginning’ coalition working in full sync”. Petkov was referring to Borissov’s party cooperation with Delyan Peevski’s Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning.