And then there is #Bulgaria recently fresh from the voting booth: It seems that #Radev who formed a fragile coalition is ready to step into #Orban's shoes inside the #EU

"After years of political turmoil, Bulgarians appear to have elected a government that could finally break the country’s political deadlock — one defined by fragile coalitions, snap elections, and anti-corruption protests.

The winner is the Progressive Bulgaria party of Rumen Radev, which secured around 45 percent of the vote on a promise to dismantle the all-pervasive “mafia state” he says has been undermining the EU’s least developed member.

Radev has opposed military aid to Ukraine and long cultivated a more accommodating line toward Moscow than most EU leaders. He has also previously described Crimea as “Russian,” even while formally condemning Russia’s full-scale invasion."

Source:
https://open.substack.com/pub/howweceeit/p/babis-wants-czechs-to-go-nuclear?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

In Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, ex presidente e leader del partito "Bulgaria Progressista", ha trionfato alle elezioni parlamentari anticipate del 19 aprile 2026, ottenendo la maggioranza assoluta dei seggi. Questa vittoria arriva in un contesto di profonda instabilità politica, con otto governi falliti in cinque anni, e riflette il malcontento per corruzione e oligarchie. Radev promette lotta alla corruzione, ma le sue posizioni filo-russe preoccupano UE e NATO.

#Bulgaria #Radev #UE #NATO #Russia

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/04/wednesday-april-22-2026/

#3714
In Sofia wil #Radev corruptie bestrijden,
maar daar schaart hij zich bij aan Russische zijde.
Da’s ’n rare tournure, die wordt ‘m fataal,
want ’t is ’n positie zo paradoxaal
als die van ’n diepgaand gelovige heiden.

Op de sterke man van #Bulgarije.
https://www.volkskrant.nl/buitenland/aardverschuiving-in-bulgaarse-politiek-door-pro-russische-radev-maar-hij-is-geen-nieuwe-orban~bfa23115/

#Putin retains control over #Bulgaria
#Orban is replaced with #Radev
...
Radev is the new Orban
We still have a #Russian 'fifth column' in Europe.

Sad.

Rumen #Radev, a Russia-aligned former president, looks on course for an emphatic win in Bulgaria’s election on Sunday, but may still have to team up with at least one other party to form a governing majority.

https://www.politico.eu/article/bulgaria-election-russia-rumen-radev-win-exit-poll/

#Ukraine #Russia #EU #Bulgaria

Looks like #Bulgaria’s #Radev might be taking over the role of ousted #Orban in the #EU, and make no bones about it. Radev will be calling for a rapprochement with #Putin if he gets to head the new government… Not good…

Why do the traditionally conservative electorates of the #Balkans confuse #nationalism with #populism? I guess decades of #Soviet propaganda is hard to shake off. One might start believing that sustained #brain-washing of a populations has an epigenetic effect…

Seriously, with #Right-WIng #Fascism everywhere in #Europe, it may pay the EU to have another look at laws, regulations and processes to carve off ‘recalcitrant’ members when common ideals are compromised by #turncoats.

“Radev has called for renewing ties with Moscow and criticised supplying Ukraine with weapons to fend off Russia’s invasion. He also opposed the 10-year defence agreement signed between Bulgaria and Ukraine in March, and has been accused by critics of being too pro-Russian.”

Read more:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/19/exit-poll-shows-former-president-radevs-party-set-to-win-bulgaria-election