The political clash between Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and GERB leader Boyko Borissov has intensified over the F-16 fighter jets, following reports of a technical malfunction in the first aircraft delivered to Bulgaria. Borissov, responding to Radev’s criticism, stated that both the president and former Deputy Defense Minister Valentin Radev had previously lobbied for the purchase of the F-16. He recalled that Radev, during a meeting with former US President Donald Trump in Paris, had anticipated the F-16’s arrival and had praised the aircraft’s capabilities during a recent test flight.

Radev, however, countered Borissov’s claims, asserting that the real issue lies in the reduced ground technical support package approved by Borissov’s government in 2019. According to Radev, he had vetoed the agreement back then, warning that cutting maintenance services would eventually lead to technical problems. Radev emphasized that the F-16 is a newly manufactured fourth-generation aircraft and that the American supplier was fulfilling its contractual obligations.

Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov weighed in, accusing the presidency of acting like a "shadow defense ministry" and politicizing a technical issue. Zapryanov clarified that after identifying a malfunction in one of the systems, the faulty unit was swiftly replaced, with the replacement board arriving in Bulgaria on May 6. The defense ministry is now proceeding with technical acceptance checks and further test flights.

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov also addressed the malfunction, noting that it was first detected during transit flights from the US to Spain and then to Bulgaria. The defect involved an indicator related to the accumulators, which later stopped signaling. The block in question remains under warranty.

The European Commission also released a statement urging restraint regarding unverified claims of sabotage or foreign interference in the F-16 incident, emphasizing that any such allegations should be properly investigated through established channels.

The F-16 project, contracted with Lockheed Martin, includes 16 fighters to be delivered in two phases. The first phase, agreed in 2019, covers eight aircraft, and the second, signed in 2022, includes another eight. Six aircraft are expected by the end of 2025, with the remaining ten slated for delivery by the end of 2027. The training program involves 32 pilots undergoing instruction in the US, while more than 100 engineering and technical personnel are receiving specialized training in Bulgaria as the jets are phased in.