site.btaBulgaria’s State, Political Leaders React to Trump's Election Win

Most state and political leaders of Bulgaria Wednesday put out congratulatory messages after Donald Trump emerged as the winner in the US presidential elections. Among the senders were President Rumen Radev, caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev and the leaders of the parties GERB, Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Socialist Party, MRF-New Beginning and MECh.

President Radev congratulated Donald Trump in a post on X on Wednesday. "I am confident that our effective dialogue at the highest level will continue to the interest of the strategic partnership between the USA and Bulgaria," the post reads.

Caretaker Prime Minister Glavchev congratulated the Republican candidate in a post on the Facebook page of the Council of Ministers. Wishing Trump "success in his important role" as President of the United States, Glavchev expressed satisfaction with the strong Bulgarian-US relations and confidence that the strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the US will continue its positive development.

GERB leader Boyko Borissov wrote in a Facebook post, "Congratulations for Donald Trump. I am ready for us to work together again! For security!"

Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) co-leader Kiril Petkov congratulated the GOP on the win in the presidential elections. "I congratulate all friends in the Republican Party on the election win," he said in a Facebook post. "Winning a majority in the Congress and the House of Representatives, and the looming presidential election win is a considerable political accomplishment," he says.

Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov has sent a letter to Donald Trump to congratulate him on his victory. "Your election as President of the United States is a victory for democracy," he wrote, adding that in the face of Vazrazhdane Trump has "a partner whose aim is to advance working and equal partnership in keeping with the national interests of our two countries". 

Delyan Peevski, the leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms - New Beginning, hailed the near-certain election victory of Donald Trump in a statement published on the party's website.  "The return to the White House of President Donald Trump is a good news for democracy in the US and the world, that need for normalcy, a new beginning, peace and prosperity," he says.

Bulgarian Socialist Party acting leader Atanas Zafirov said in a statement via the party press office that Trump’s victory shows "the power of democracy and the desire for a change in the world". He went on to express hope that Trump's election “is that small spark that can change the historical processes and bring the peace we all need”.

The leader of There Is Such a People party, Slavi Trifonov, sent a letter of congratulations to the president-elect and offered his party support "as part of the same Conservative family". A photo of the letter is posted on Trifonov's page on Facebook. “The win of President Trump and his administration is encouraging for us and the conservative and patriot community worldwide," he writes. "Within the light of the present obstacle ahead of us, we are encouraged that with your administration, our common goals in the region would be fulfilled, whereas we can assure you of our continuous cooperation and willingness for future discussion on all common interests," Trifonov says, likely referring to the upcoming formation of a parliamentary majority and a government by the new Parliament in Bulgaria.

In a Facebook post, the leader of the MECh party, Radostin Vassilev, said that "as of today, America is returning to normalcy!” “Congratulations to Donald Trump for the victory, which I predicted on October 8, 2024," Vassilev wrote.

Bulgarian MEP Radan Kanev (EPP/DSB) said in Brussels that the outcome of the United States elections is not good from a European perspective. “Trump is poised for a very strong term, at least in the first two years, with a majority in the Senate. And an almost certain majority in the House of Representatives,” he said. He noted that Europe should become “more engaged in its own defence, which had to happen anyway.”

MEP Eva Maydell (EPP/GERB) said that Trump will view the EU “as an Excel file". "In his first term in office, Trump rarely looked to Europe. We are not his first priority. He's likely to put us on the table as he would do an Exel file. From now on we have to talk business with him", she added. Maydell argued that on many issues Europe will no longer be able to rely on the US as a partner and will have to take its own responsibility.

MEP Andrey Kovatchev commented that all Bulgarian parties should be able to cooperate with the administration of the new US President. He believes that the relations between Bulgaria and the US, as well as between the EU and the US, are contingent on whether the election promises made by Trump's campaign will be fulfilled. He added that what matters geopolitically is whether there is a sign of parity between the election campaign and the new US policy towards Russia, Iran, Taiwan and the Middle East. He argued that the EU's voice should be heard louder when it comes to emerging military conflicts.