Gyurov Files Complaint Accusing Radev of Using Government Resources to Campaign for Yotova

The Gyurov-Kandev Initiative Committee has filed a complaint with Bulgaria’s Central Election Commission (CEC), alleging that Prime Minister Rumen Radev used official government communication channels to campaign for presidential candidate Iliana Yotova, while We Continue the Change leader Asen Vassilev accused Radev of delaying the state budget and failing to take a consistent position on national security.

The initiative committee is seeking an urgent CEC ruling over two alleged violations of the Electoral Code involving campaign messages distributed through the Council of Ministers’ official channels.

According to the committee, the government has effectively become a press office for Yotova. In a statement on October 26, Radev appealed directly to voters, saying, “Let us vote for Iliana Yotova,” while also making accusations against Andrey Gyurov. The same content was then published through the Government Information Service, the official gov.bg website and the Council of Ministers’ Facebook page.

The committee alleges that the actions breached Article 182, Paragraph 1 of the Electoral Code, which prohibits election campaigning through state institutions, and Article 168, Paragraph 3, which prohibits the free use of public administrative resources for campaign purposes. It argues that government communication channels, civil servants and taxpayer funds were used to benefit one candidate.

The complaint sets out six requests to the CEC: establish whether the violations occurred; order the immediate removal of the posts and stop campaign activity through official government channels; document the published content; identify the officials who drafted, approved and published the messages, as well as who instructed them to do so; take steps to issue administrative violation citations against Radev and any officials found responsible; and refer the materials to the National Audit Office for assessment within its jurisdiction.

“We are referring this matter to the CEC: the posts must be taken down immediately, and those responsible must be held accountable,” Gyurov said.

The initiative committee has called for the complaint to be considered urgently, within the prescribed 24-hour period.

Separately, Vassilev accused the government of postponing the presentation of the state budget, preventing citizens from examining its financial parameters before the elections. He said that if the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation does not meet this week, the Public Finance Act will be violated and the budget will not reach Parliament before October 31.

“I have just learned that there will be no tripartite meeting this week; this means the Public Finance Act will be violated, and the budget will not be submitted to Parliament before October 31. What are you hiding, Mr. Radev? What is in this budget that you do not want to show the Bulgarian citizens before the elections this coming Sunday?” Vassilev said.

He argued that the main budget parameters were already known and indicated that incomes would deteriorate in real terms.

“For the first time, you have officially included in a budget the fact that Bulgarian citizens will become poorer. Their incomes will grow at a slower rate than inflation. But what else have you hidden in this budget, and on what else are you spending money—to the point where, even with this impoverishment, you still cannot manage to stay within a 3% deficit?” the PP leader asked.

Vassilev urged voters to back Gyurov, arguing that he could scrutinize executive decisions and veto measures that harmed citizens or violated the Constitution. He said Yotova would not be able to perform that role.

The PP leader also sharply criticized Radev and Yotova over national security, accusing Radev of taking inconsistent positions on Russia, Ukraine and Bulgaria’s European allies.

“Let him, once and for all, take a firm, sensible stance - instead of saying one thing here and something else in Brussels, spinning around like a top wherever the wind blows,” Vassilev said.

He argued that protecting Bulgaria’s maritime and air borders required a clear position toward its allies and readiness to respond to violations. Effective defenses against drones and maritime threats, he added, required cooperation with Romania and other allies.

Vassilev also questioned the country’s defense preparedness, noting that Radev had served as president and commander-in-chief for nine years. He asked why Bulgaria still lacked a sufficiently developed system for countering drones and modern radar capabilities.

“I have done my job as Minister of Finance. I provided the funding, securing it within the 3% deficit limit, without taking anything away from pensioners or cutting salaries. What have they done since then?” Vassilev said.

He also challenged political allegations concerning “dependencies” and backroom deals, disputing Radev’s claims about links between political and economic circles. Vassilev said the president should be chosen by voters rather than through arrangements negotiated in party headquarters.

“The country’s President must be elected by the Bulgarian citizens,” he said.