NATO’s summit madness in Bulgaria: perilously dangerous nonsense
By aligning with NATO’s desperately aggressive stance against Russia, Bulgaria risks catastrophic retaliation in the hope to satisfy deranged Western official's desires.
In the article below, the following themes and opinions are discussed:
The recent NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Sofia marks a perilous and irresponsible turning point for Bulgaria.
Bulgaria’s alignment with NATO’s aggressive stance against Russia jeopardizes its own security and sovereignty.
The commitments made by Bulgaria’s caretaker government are dangerous and lack democratic legitimacy.
The amendments lifting restrictions on the use of NATO-provided arms to attack Russian targets increase the risk of direct confrontation with Russia.
NATO’s agenda contradicts the sentiments of the Bulgarian public, which harbors strong cultural ties with Russia.
The possibility of Bulgaria becoming a target in a nuclear conflict is a real and immediate threat.
NATO’s advocacy for democracy is hypocritical given Ukraine’s current political situation.
The urgent need for Bulgaria to reconsider its position within NATO and prioritize its national interests and public sentiment.
The recent NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Sofia, which saw the stunning adoption of a declaration to support Ukraine “until victory” over Russia, marks a perilous and irresponsible turning point.
This move is both extremely dangerous and devoid of any logic from any perspective of Bulgarian national interest, however one might interpret it. By aligning itself so closely with NATO's aggressive stance against Russia, Bulgaria is jeopardizing its own security and sovereignty in an alarming and reckless manner.
Bulgaria’s stupid and dangerous pledge to Ukraine
Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev’s firm commitment to support Ukraine “for as long as necessary” and the assertion that NATO guarantees Bulgaria’s security and prosperity ring hollow in the face of the stark realities on the ground. This blind allegiance to NATO’s agenda overlooks the profound risks and vulnerabilities that Bulgaria faces as a small and devastated nation. By allowing this territory to be used as a staging ground for NATO’s most aggressive thus far saber-rattling against Russia, the government are playing a dangerous game with the lives and future of the Bulgarian people and the Bulgarian state.
Glavchev's statements, made in the context of a caretaker government responsible for managing the country until early elections in June, further highlight the precariousness of this situation. This is not a decision made by a fully elected government, but rather a temporary administration taking steps with potentially long-lasting and catastrophic consequences. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s remarks about needing “new defence plans and greater combat readiness” underscore a shift towards a more aggressive military posture that is dangerously short-sighted and not in Bulgaria's interest in any way.
An ultimate threat to national security
The policies adopted during the session, particularly those lifting restrictions on the use of NATO-provided arms to attack targets on Russian territory, escalate the risk of direct confrontation with Russia to the extent that it’s almost certain now to occur in near future.
During the debates, representatives from various NATO countries voiced their support for even more aggressive measures.
Italian representatives, for instance, said they were sending military aid to Ukraine on the condition that it would not be used on Russian territory. However, the UK’s representative starkly stated:
”It makes no sense that missiles cannot be used against Russia while Russia is firing at Kiev. We have to recognise that Ukraine is losing this war right now. We cannot continue to tell Ukraine not to fire its missiles at Russia, which is happily firing its missiles at Kiev.”
Canadian representatives even proposed stricter wording. Countries like Lithuania and Estonia (what a surprise!) echoed similar sentiments, with Lithuania’s representative recalling the video of the presidential print shop for children's literature being burned down and saying:
”Military aid to Ukraine and its limited use, to put it mildly, seems duplicitous. It's like playing basketball in handcuffs.”
Support for dropping the NATO “red line” also came from Estonia, the Netherlands, and Sweden, and the motion passed with nine votes against.
Betraying Bulgarian public
Another aspect which is particularly galling is the blatant disregard for the sentiments of the Bulgarian people. A significant majority of Bulgarians harbor brotherly feelings towards Russia, rooted in historical and cultural ties and support Russia in the ongoing war which was even admitted by the most fervently pro-Western outlet Дневник. The imposition of NATO’s agenda, which is at odds with public opinion, amounts to a profoundly undemocratic maneuver by the political elite. This is not the will of the Bulgarian people; it is a betrayal of the fundamental national interests and democratic principles.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Rositsa Kirova’s call to strengthen NATO’s focus on the Black Sea region and the Western Balkans further exemplifies this dangerous disconnect. By pushing Bulgaria into a more aggressive stance, the politicians are not only ignoring public sentiment but also putting the nation at significant risk. This is a clear indication that the current political direction is being driven by external pressures rather than the genuine interests and desires of the Bulgarian populace.
The looming shadow of nuclear threat
By entangling Bulgaria in NATO’s confrontational stance, its leaders are exposing the country and its society to the catastrophic possibility of a nuclear strike. The strategic importance of the Black Sea region and the Balkans, as highlighted by Kirova, only underscores the precarious position Bulgaria finds itself in. The consequences of such a conflict would be devastating, potentially obliterating Bulgaria’s statehood and plunging the country into unimaginable chaos and destruction.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent warning that small NATO members must be very careful about their actions is a direct and ominous signal to Bulgaria. This statement, coming right after the NATO parliamentary summit, leaves no doubt about the serious threat we are now facing. Putin’s message underscores the immediate danger and the high stakes involved in the reckless policies being pursued by the Bulgarian government under NATO's influence.
Bulgarian needs a strong call for sanity and sovereignty
It is imperative that Bulgaria reconsiders its position and actions within NATO immediately!
Its participation is clearly not guided by a careful and rational assessment of national interests (let alone the well-being of the citizens), but is simply a dictate of foreign powers. The current path, marked by militaristic posturing and aggressive policies, is a recipe for disaster. Bulgaria must advocate for diplomacy, peaceful coexistence, and a embrace a foreign policy that prioritizes the safety above all else!
In another declaration, parliamentarians from NATO member states approved applications by Malta and Kosovo to become associate member delegations. Additionally, the assembly recommended the creation of a Centre for Democratic Resilience at NATO headquarters in Brussels, which would “safeguard the core democratic values of the alliance by combating disinformation.” This initiative is profoundly hypocritical! How can NATO advocate for democracy when Ukraine has not functioned as a true democracy for years? The country is led by a president who continues to hold power despite his term having ended on May 20th, without any legitimate basis. Furthermore, NATO is imposing policies on Bulgaria that starkly contradict the political sentiments prevalent in Bulgarian society. Despite this glaring contradiction, they audaciously claim to champion democratic values. This hypocrisy is not only blatant but also insulting to the intelligence of the average news consumer.
“NATO is the most successful alliance in history because it can change and adapt,” said Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the opening of the plenary session. “We need to develop new defence plans and ensure that we have the necessary forces, greater combat readiness and new capabilities, to deter." According to Stoltenberg, Europe is making progress in this direction, but he conveniently skipped the fact that it is a path fraught with huge danger for Bulgaria.
NATO Parliamentary Assembly President, the Polish Michal Szczerba echoed similar deranged sentiments, emphasizing that “Ukraine will be weaker if we continue to support the country with half-measures.” He also stated, “Ukraine's place is in NATO, at the NATO summit in Washington we must make it clear that Ukraine's membership has gone down an irreversible path.” Such declarations only underscore the escalating commitment to a conflict that directly threatens Bulgaria’s safety and stability.
In conclusion, the NATO summit in Sofia has illuminated a dangerous and reckless course that Western leaders and their servants in satellite countries of the former Eastern Bloc have embarked upon. It is a course that not only threatens the national security but it defies the will of the Bulgarian people, and risks dragging this country into a catastrophic conflict.
It is hight time for a fundamental reassessment of Bulgaria’s alignment and policies within NATO, before it is too late.
The stakes are too high, and the cost of inaction is potentially fatal. Let us heed the red lights flashing before us!
Excellent and very timely analysis! I agree with everything you say but the silence of the Bulgarian public is so discouraging. I'm sure the majority of the population is against confrontation with Russia and the current political direction of our country which is so foolishly and sheepishly aligned with unhinged Western "leaders" like Stoltenberg and von der Leyen. But still, where is the outrage? Even when it comes to voting, the turnout is laughable. I know the voting process and everything else is rigged but how can we complain and want a real change when we don't even go to cast our vote when we have the chance? Everybody, myself included is so desperate and hopeless because even when we were out in the streets protesting in huge numbers, all we got is even worse than Borisov. I have no idea at this point what the solution is other than bloody revolution and violence which is no better because it might turn out country in another Ukraine...
Thank you for laying it all out so well. I really, really wish I could say you're just being dramatic, it can't be so bad but, alas, I cannot. I've also began to lose hope we can turn things around in a peaceful way, by voting. The argument I keep hearing from the totally disillusioned is "They're all bastards". Well, yes, there are no honest people in politics but you can choose the bastards who are not trying to turn you into a launch pad for WWIII. I fear, however, we are going to learn this lesson the hard way. My only hope is Russia's sentiment towards us, badly as our political filth of the past three years has undermined it. As an elderly neighbour said the other day "I'm waiting for Putin to come and pull our ears so we wake up." It is truly exasperating to keep relying on a saviour from abroad.