Rumen Radev Criticised Over 2026 Budget and Energy Policies

Deputy chairman of the Democratic Bulgaria party, Jordan Ivanov, warned that the 2026 state budget drives the cabinet into a fiscal spiral reminiscent of past Romanian and Greek crises. He said the government rejected proposals to cut capital spending, reduce administration costs, and lower insurance thresholds, accusing it of abandoning reforms and ignoring support for business and foreign investors.

Former energy minister Rumen Ovcharov added that President Radev has taken many wrong steps, citing the foreign minister’s unclear visit to Ukraine and mismanagement at the Kozloduy nuclear power plant, where a senior expert was dismissed and replaced by a politically appointed official. Ovcharov highlighted financial strains at the plant and broader failures in the energy sector, arguing that these decisions undermine the country’s strategic priorities.