Bulgaria should harden its tone towards the European Union and warm up its relations with Russia, Krassimir Karakachanov, Bulgaria’s deputy prime minister and defence minister, said in an interview with Nova TV channel on June 4.

The statement comes days after Bulgaria’s President Rument Radev and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov visited Russia and gave clear signals that they are willing to restore warm relations with Moscow. Karakachanov’s statement came as no surprise as two of the three parties in the far-right junior coalition partner of Borissov's Gerb – the United Patriots – are pro-Russian and anti-EU.

“My opinion is that Bulgaria should harden the tone. Yes, we cannot stand as the UK and to say that we leave the EU, but we can harden the tone,” said Karakachanov, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU Council.

His statement was made in the context of protesting transporting firms in Bulgaria who oppose a new EU regulation on their work. According to Karakachanov, bigger EU members stay behind the regulation and aim to protect their own interests, harming those of Bulgarian firms. He added that Sofia could, in return, cut companies based in those countries from future public infrastructure projects in Bulgaria. 

Karakachanov also said that Bulgaria’s interest is to warm up its relations with Russia because of the Russian importance in the energy and tourism sectors.

Last week, Borissov said following a meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin that Moscow has agreed to extend Turkish Stream natural gas pipeline to Bulgaria. Putin seemed to confirm Borissov’s statement at a joint press conference, however his spokesman later said in a statement that nothing has been decided yet.

In January, Russia said that it will extend the Turkish Stream to Europe if the European Commission provides ironclad guarantees that the project “will not be broken”.