Bulgaria's President, Rumen Radev, announced that he intends to hand over the first exploratory mandate to the largest parliamentary group as soon as possible, though he did not specify an exact date. Speaking to journalists after the Epiphany water blessing in Sofia, Radev emphasized that while the 51st National Assembly has little time left, the parties have committed to making legislative changes aimed at increasing confidence in the electoral process, including the implementation of 100 percent machine voting to reduce subjectivity in counting ballots. He also called for broad participation in upcoming elections to minimize the influence of corporate voting.

On the question of a potential presidential party, Radev sarcastically indicated that such a movement already exists, noting that opponents continuously refer to it, and he highlighted that his mandate alongside Vice President Iliana Yotova was intended to unite citizens rather than political parties. Regarding foreign policy, he criticized the outgoing government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their silence on international issues, including the recent situation in Venezuela, which he described as another example of the breakdown of the international legal order. Radev stressed that accumulated precedents pose risks to national security and underlined the importance of maintaining a strong Bulgarian army to safeguard the country’s interests.

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