Acting Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov announced that Bulgaria will withdraw from Donald Trump's Peace Council. In an interview with Euronews, he explained that our country's accession was "the result of a decision by an oligarch" and does not reflect the political consensus in Bulgaria.
We recall that Bulgaria is one of two European countries that joined the Peace Council. The other is Hungary, which is considered to be a "Trojan horse" in the ranks of the EU. The majority of member states decided to observe from the sidelines what would happen to the organization, without applying for membership.
During the establishment of the Peace Council, then-Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov appeared surprisingly next to Donald Trump and signed the documents, without this having been announced and discussed in advance in the National Assembly. In order to officially become members of the Peace Council, ratification is required.
"It would be an exaggeration to say that this is Bulgaria's position", Gyurov explained to Euronews Special Report in an interview on Thursday. "It was not a question of international politics - it was a personal matter of an oligarch. The signing of this treaty is related to his removal from the sanctions list. I don't think it will work. It is surprising, unfortunately, the influence of an oligarch in some parties."
Gyurov said that the national parliament has not yet ratified Bulgaria's membership and even if it is approved, it could be taken to the Constitutional Court. Most EU member states believe this is in violation of the United Nations Charter, making their participation impossible.
The Peace Council was originally understood as a means of rebuilding Gaza after the war between Israel and Hamas, but since President Trump has expanded its mandate to cover the entire world, it needs to be reconsidered. The legal analysis conducted by the European Union raised serious concerns about the scope, mandate and structure of the Council, pointing to President Trump’s almost absolutist powers as chairman without a clear deadline.
"What we wanted to show is that Bulgaria supports a comprehensive peace plan for Gaza", Gyurov said. "I think the remaining parts of the agreement will be ratified within the Peace Council."
Despite the limited role Bulgaria will play within the Council, Gyurov said maintaining good diplomatic relations with the United States remained important.
"The important thing is to preserve the partnerships that have worked on both sides of the Atlantic for many years. It is important to talk", he added to Euronews. "It is also important to have a Europe that is strong and can stand on its own two feet."
"We do not know what the ultimate goal of the whole situation is. Europe must speak with one voice and get to the negotiating table to see what can be done to de-escalate the conflict," said Gurov.
According to him, the EU will not intervene directly in support of Trump in the Strait of Hormuz.
"For me, the right way is to return to the negotiating table," the caretaker prime minister emphasized.
He expressed support for Trump's goals in Iran, namely that Tehran's nuclear program must be stopped. According to him, there are different ways for this to happen, one of which is diplomatic efforts.