Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of Vazrazhdane, said the National Security Advisory Council (KSNS) did not agree a joint position. He told reporters in parliament that President Iliana Yotova said yesterday the council had reached agreement, and that this surprised him.

This story follows our earlier report on Yotova calling the KSNS meeting. DPS leader Delyan Peevski approved of the move but said his party would not back it in the first round.

Kostadinov said the council talked but did not reach an understanding. A joint position needs at least three-quarters of those taking part, and he said 4 of the 6 parties present told the meeting they did not back the document.

Kostadinov said the document in effect shows that Bulgarian foreign policy is bankrupt. He said it fears conflict with both Russia and Brussels and does not want to defend Bulgaria's interest before the European Commission.

Vazrazhdane wants Bulgaria to declare itself neutral, stop arms exports to Ukraine and cancel the agreement with Ukraine that Andrey Gyurov signed and which is still in force. The party also wants Bulgaria to say it is ready to act as a mediator to end Russia's war against Ukraine. These proposals come from the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane, while Russia has waged a full-scale war against Ukraine since February 2022, and the EU and Bulgaria back Ukraine and the sanctions against Moscow.

Kostadinov also spoke about a sunken ship and a drone. No wreckage of the drone has been found, so nobody knows what it was. He said nobody knows exactly what the ship was carrying either. It was due to arrive in Romania and unload there. There are two ships, both owned by Turkish firms.

The Vazrazhdane leader asked why Romania is silent. He said the case is causing a stir only in Bulgaria, while Turkey and Romania are not commenting on it. Kostadinov believes Turkey keeps ties with both Moscow and Kyiv and does not want to fan the issue, since it gains more than it loses either way.