Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Ivan Angelov uses Kremlin terminology for the war in Ukraine

The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and MP from the 'Progressive Bulgaria' party, Ivan Angelov, who was previously a professor at the Faculty of Economics at Sofia University, uses terminology characteristic of Moscow's official position regarding the conflict in Ukraine. In an interview with bTV, the politician defined the events as a "special military operation."

Although Angelov added that, according to some sources, the conflict could also be characterized as a war, he emphasized that according to official data, it is specifically a "special military operation." He stated that it is difficult for him to find a difference between the two concepts and added that the conflict must be ended through diplomatic means.

During the conversation, the host recalled the question from the German Ambassador to Bulgaria, Irene Maria Plank, regarding how Russia will be stopped from seizing Ukraine if weapons are not provided. Angelov replied that there are many uncertainties in the policy regarding Ukraine and that support must be carefully analyzed so that Bulgaria does not find itself involved in the war.

The position on American aircraft in Bezmer

Regarding the presence of American aircraft and tankers at the military airfield in Bezmer, Angelov entered into a series of contradictions and self-refutations. He assured that Bulgaria is not involved in military actions and is fulfilling its international commitments as a reliable ally, adding that the basing has a purely logistical purpose – refueling will be carried out outside the territory of Bulgaria, and operations will not be conducted within the country.

Angelov emphasized that the difference between the current deployment and the previous deployment of military aircraft at "Vasil Levski" airport near Sofia lies in transparency. He reminded that during the previous deployment, it was claimed to be for training, which Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynski and other diplomats later confirmed was not entirely accurate, as the US note was for training.

Foreign policy balance and relations with Iran

Angelov defended the government's course as an aspiration toward a balance between national interest and compliance with international agreements, stating that Bulgaria radiates "predictability and security."

Regarding relations with Iran, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly stated that Bulgaria does not take an anti-Iranian position and maintains constant contact with Tehran through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He shared that the country has notified Iran that it is not participating in the military conflict and seeks to reduce tension. However, when asked whether an official note had been sent, Angelov failed to provide specifics, stating that he cannot go into details and specifics regarding communication channels.