Bulgarian President: Russia finances anti-European parties and media in the EU
The Russian Federation conducts an organized policy and uses alternative methods to destabilize the situation in the European Union, including maintaining ultranationalist forces, as stated by President of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung, dsnews.ua reported.
"It is no secret now that this policy is organized and carried out with a clear purpose: to destabilize the EU,” Plevneliev said.
He is sure that Russia wants to undermine the EU from within, using the support of ultra-nationalist parties and movements. He said there are many indications that the Kremlin is financing anti-European parties and the media in Bulgaria and in other EU countries.
According to the Bulgarian President, the aim of the Kremlin is similar to the one set by the Soviet Union, which is the "weakening of Europe and spreading of doubts about the values of democracy and the rule of law." However, the Russian government is trying to achieve this on a new ideological basis, Plevneliev added.
He emphasized that Moscow is actively using the Internet for its subversive activities, conducting cyberwarfare. However, since many European politicians think it is an exaggeration, the Europeans need to be shown "what is going on and what the Russian propaganda is aimed at."
In November this year, presidential elections were held in Bulgaria where a pro-Russian candidate, Major General Rumen Radev won. Immediately after the elections, the government of Bulgaria led by Boyko Borisov resigned. The new government in Bulgaria has not been formed yet.