The images from Davos tell a disturbing story: Bulgaria's outgoing Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, representing a government that has been in resignation since December following massive protests, signing away our country's European credibility. Standing alongside Viktor Orban and representatives of authoritarian regimes, Zhelyazkov committed Bulgaria to Donald Trump's so-called Board of Peace while the rest of Europe looked on in dismay.

This is not diplomacy. This is not statecraft. This is, as MEP Radan Kanev so aptly put it, a humiliation for every Bulgarian. "The presence of the Bulgarian Prime Minister in Trump's lifelong personal Board of Peace, in the company of a handful of authoritarian leaders, turns our worthy European country into part of the company that kisses ass," Kanev wrote, expressing the outrage many Bulgarians feel.

The timing and circumstances make this decision particularly egregious. France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and other key European allies refused Trump's invitation. Even far-right British politician Nigel Farage's UK and nationalist opposition in France declined to participate. Yet Bulgaria and Hungary, the EU's two poorest members, rushed to sign on. As Bozhidar Bozhanov of "Yes, Bulgaria" noted, our country is now standing with Belarus and totalitarian regimes, becoming "a Trojan horse" undermining European unity.

The constitutional and procedural violations are equally alarming. Atanas Slavov, a constitutional law expert and MP, emphasized that Zhelyazkov's actions directly contradict several constitutional principles. Article 4 of Bulgaria's Constitution requires consultation with the EU on foreign policy initiatives. Article 24 demands adherence to international law principles - yet this Board of Peace explicitly aims to duplicate and potentially replace the UN. Most critically, joining international organizations requires a Council of Ministers decision, consultations, and mandatory parliamentary ratification. None of this occurred.

Instead, the government adopted what one Bulgarian media described as a "confidential act" on Wednesday, bypassing democratic oversight entirely. A resigned government, lacking legitimacy to make such far-reaching decisions, committed Bulgaria to an organization for three years without parliamentary debate or approval. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni refused to join this format precisely because it contradicted her country's constitutional principles. Why does Bulgaria deserve less respect for its own constitutional order?

The answer appears to lie with Delyan Peevski, the US-sanctioned oligarch who chairs the DPS-New Beginning party. Just one day before Zhelyazkov's signature in Davos, Peevski publicly insisted that Bulgaria join Trump's initiative, writing about the importance of "building a new, fairer and more stable world order." As Ivaylo Mirchev of "Yes, Bulgaria" pointed out, "Peevski is under heavy sanctions from the US and he really wants to get on Trump's nerves." Mirchev recalled GERB leader Boyko Borissov's own words: "When Peevski asks me for something, I fulfill it."

The pattern is clear and shameful. Every time GERB can choose between Bulgaria's interests and Peevski's demands, it chooses Peevski, throwing our country into Europe's corner as the weak link ready to undermine continental unity.

The Board of Peace's charter reveals disturbing details that should alarm any democrat. Trump is designated lifetime chairman, removable only by voluntary resignation or incapacity - not tied to his presidential term. He holds veto power over all decisions, can unilaterally select his successor, and controls the board of directors entirely. While originally conceived for Gaza, the organization's scope has expanded to "ensure peace in regions affected by or threatened by conflict" globally, positioning it as a potential UN replacement.

UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock expressed alarm at Trump's plans, warning that "the UN is not just under pressure, it is under direct attack." She emphasized that the UN Charter represents "the world's common life insurance," with all 193 members having equal voice regardless of wealth or power. Bulgaria, a UN member since 1955, has now aligned itself against this multilateral system.

Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev's assurances about voluntary financial contributions ring hollow when weighed against the strategic damage. This really isn't about money...it's about values, alliances, and Bulgaria's place in the world. While Georgiev speaks of preventing migration crises and maintaining regional security, he ignores the fundamental crisis he's creating: Bulgaria's isolation from its natural European partners.

Bulgaria deserves better than to be Viktor Orban's only companion among EU members in this venture. We deserve leaders who defend our European path rather than sacrifice it for the private interests of sanctioned oligarchs. The shame of Davos will not be easily forgotten, nor should it be. When the next elections come, Bulgarians must remember who chose Peevski and Trump over Europe and who chose expediency over constitutional principle.

This is not the Bulgaria we deserve. This is the Bulgaria that corrupt power has made.

Further reading: NATO Pilot, Putin Sympathizer, or Something Else? Who Is Rumen Radev and Why Did He Just Blow Up Bulgarian Politics

This text is published as an opinion piece; the title has been added by our editorial team; the article does not necessarily reflect the views of Novinite.com