SOFIA, October 13 — Against the backdrop of rising tensions in the Black Sea, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev summoned the Russian ambassador following a drone attack that sank a ship off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, according to Radev’s statement. The incident occurred in the Black Sea near Bulgaria’s coastline, though the exact date and location within the coastal area remain unspecified. The attack represents a significant security concern for Bulgaria, a European Union member state with a strategic position along the Black Sea.
Radev, who has served as Prime Minister since May 8, 2026, brings a distinctive background to his current role. He previously held the Bulgarian presidency from January 22, 2017, to January 23, 2026, making him the first person in modern Bulgarian history to serve in both the presidency and premiership.
The Prime Minister resigned from the presidency on January 19, 2026, to enter legislative politics, stepping down officially four days later. In March 2026, he launched the Progressive Bulgaria (PB) coalition, campaigning on an anti-oligarchy platform with promises of justice reform and rule of law initiatives.
Election Victory and Coalition Building
In the April 2026 parliamentary elections, Radev’s coalition secured an absolute majority with approximately forty-four percent of the vote, winning one hundred thirty out of two hundred forty seats in the Bulgarian parliament. This commanding victory positioned Radev to form a government with a strong mandate for his reform agenda. Before his political career, Radev had an extensive military background spanning from 1987 to 2016.
He rose to the rank of Major General and served as Commander of the Bulgarian Air Force from 2014 to 2016. A skilled fighter pilot, he accumulated over one thousand four hundred flight hours and was trained as a MiG-29 instructor and demo pilot.
International Education and Diplomatic Skills
Radev’s academic credentials include a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies with honors from Maxwell Air War College in the United States (2003) and a PhD in Military Science (2000). He is fluent in Bulgarian, English, German, and Russian—languages that may prove valuable in navigating complex international relations. The Prime Minister’s educational path began with graduation from the Mathematical High School in Haskovo in 1982, followed by studies at the Higher Air Force School Georgi Benkovski in Dolna Mitropolia.
He later attended the G. S.
Rakovski Military Academy from 1994 to 1996, building a foundation for his future military and political career. The summoning of the Russian ambassador following the Black Sea attack marks a significant diplomatic moment for Radev’s administration, though the facts provided do not specify the outcome of this meeting or any subsequent actions taken by Bulgarian authorities.
