Defense is not just a topic, but is about to become a top priority. This was stated by GERB MP Toma Bykov to BNT.
"The situation we find ourselves in is changing very quickly and is very dynamic. We need to know where we are and what our potential is to act. The world order is obviously being reformatted. We are moving from one system of international order to another – we may not like it, but my feeling is that this is exactly what is happening, and we stand between several civilizational zones, not just zones of influence.
We must be very careful, because we have a very long experience in changing the international order, which was a very traumatic process for ourselves, and from this point of view, I do not accept phrases like the “policy of demotion“ of people who think that they are almost at the center of civilization and geopolitics and when they say something – it happens. Participation in the geopolitical game is a very expensive and difficult occupation. It requires sacrifices.
As part of the EU, the EU itself is currently in a phase in which it must say what it is ready to sacrifice. There is talk of increasing defense spending above 3% - 4%. It must be said where they will get it from and what European citizens are ready to sacrifice. Not to mention the fact that when we say – An army should be sent somewhere, not just to Bulgaria, people are becoming very skeptical about this issue all over Europe. And geopolitics is not done only with economics, but obviously with military force and by imposing the will of the one who is stronger."
Bykov commented on the declaration of non-participation of Bulgarian military in Ukraine.
"I claim that Bulgaria, by itself, is not able to be a guarantor of peace in Ukraine. Mr. Tagarev should know this, as should all those who are pushing us in the direction of Bulgaria being almost the first in the EU to take a position - a guarantor of peace. I think this is not a realistic position. What we adopted was a declaration that was prompted by speculation in society that we were almost going to send an army to Ukraine. First of all, no one has asked us for an army, because the European Union itself, as far as I can see, still does not have a common position on how far its forces can go to be a guarantor of peace in Ukraine and what it is willing to sacrifice. Our position in this declaration is to reassure society."