January 19 is a significant date for the Bulgarian democratic state. On this date, according to article 96 of the Constitution of Republic of Bulgaria, every president solemnly swears to uphold the Constitution and laws, act in the interest of the people and protect the sovereignty and independence of Bulgaria.
The oath is taken in a solemn ceremony in front of the National Assembly upon assuming office as the head of state and vice president.
The text of the oath is recited by the newly elected president and vice president in front of the members of the National Assembly.
It is identical to the oath taken by the representatives of the people: "I swear in the name of the Republic of Bulgaria to uphold the Constitution and laws of the country, and in all my actions to be guided by the interests of the people. I swear!"
Upon assuming their office, the President and Vice President sign their oath declarations, after which the oath is ceremonially taken.
The oath of the Bulgarian President is an important constitutional act that symbolizes their loyalty to the country and its laws.
So far, five Presidents have taken an oath to the Bulgarian people and state - Zhelyu Zhelev, Petar Stoyanov, Georgi Parvanov, Rosen Plevneliev and Rumen Radev.
Zhelev, Stoyanov, Parvanov, and Plevneliev strictly adhered to the powers given to them by the Constitution, and did not allow themselves to step outside the boundaries of being "a President for all Bulgarians". They all had dramatic moments in their tenure as state heads, during which they managed to find the right solutions for Bulgaria through consensus and dialogue. This is especially true for Zhelyu, Stoyanov and Parvanov, who worked in conditions of intense political opposition, but still managed to maintain peace in the country and respect from both the government and the opposition. They were the bridge of understanding, and the presidential institution under their leadership - a ground for dialogue between political opponents.
Rumen Radev is the first head of state who failed to adhere to the Constitution, going from the promise to be a president of all Bulgarians to being accused of dividing the nation.
In 2017, during his inauguration as newly elected president, Radev promised: "I will be a president for all Bulgarians, regardless of religion, party affiliation, and ethnicity." He declared that he will not exceed his powers, but will also not allow them to be limited in any way. The promised dialogue with other authorities, parties and civil society did not happen. Radev violates the constitutional principle of being a unifying figure for the nation, plays politics with certain parties at the expense of others, confronts the executive branch sharply, engages in backstage games and party building. And in the summer of 2020, he did something unacceptable as a statesman - he left the Presidency with a raised fist against the legitimate Bulgarian government.
That is why later - in 2022, when he entered his second term, after Rumen Radev's oath and speech to the deputies in the National Assembly, polar reactions followed. Part of the opposition even boycotted the ceremony. Minutes after taking the oath, President Rumen Radev received his first attacks. GERB not only left the plenary hall, but also gave a rating of "Weak 2" for his first mandate. "Over the last five years, we have seen that President Radev is unable to fulfill the role of unifier of the nation," was the official position of the GERB-UDF parliamentary group. They explained in the corridors of parliament that both in the past and now, the head of state draws divisive lines in society.
This is how Rumen Radev embarked on his second mandate at "Dondukov" 2 - on one hand, with best wishes for success, and on the other - with sharp criticism. The ruling parties CC-DB supported Radev, with then-Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, who violated the Constitution by becoming part of the executive power at the president's inspiration, applauding the president's speech. A year later, Radev called Petkov and his team from "charlatans" of the Political Party "Revival." "Revival" admitted that Radev has lost their support: "Now it will be very difficult for him to stand as a unifier of the nation, given what happened during his previous term, namely - his caretaker government caused one of the most memorable divisions in society."
Today, in the last year of Radev's term, the division in society is even stronger, and Radev's actions are even more confrontational. Radev has been criticized by the entire political spectrum for dividing the nation and not offering anything constructive for the country's future.
"Radev comes out like the cuckoo from the clock. Have you heard him say anything about his favorite mayor Terziev?" asked GERB leader Boyko Borisov a few days ago. "And it continues: "Imagine the reaction of Rumen Radev if Romania had joined the Eurozone while Bulgaria remained outside?! To all the wise and beautiful, I ask – what would they call this government, this prime minister, this leader of GERB?!".
The leader of MRF-NB, Delyan Peevski, also sharply criticizes the actions of the President. "Is this what you want for Bulgaria, Mr. Radev? Chaos, disorder, lawlessness and anarchy? What is the price - democracy and peace in the country! You and CC-DB have used young people! And they will not forgive you for that. The escalation provoked by your agitators, organized and led by your Koprinkov, Uzunov, and oligarchs close to you, leads the country towards anarchy! And all of this, in order to provoke elections and seize power with blood?! You will get nothing from all of this, trampling on the people!" "They will not allow this!", wrote Peevski regarding the riots caused by the protest against the government on November 30th.
Due to rumors that Radev will form his own party for the early elections, the Democratic Bulgaria (part of "Democratic Bulgaria") party also turned against him.
If Radev runs in the elections, there is a risk of dividing the anti-corruption consensus along Russian lines, stated the leader of the Democratic Bulgaria party, Atanas Atanasov. "Let the president come out and say what he will do, because this half-conspiracy until now... I said it when we were consulting with him: "Who are we talking to? The president or the competitor?", recalled the leader of the Democratic Bulgaria party.
Criticism against Radev was also not spared by the leader of "Revival", Kostadin Kostadinov. "Radev decided to give a third term to Ahmed Dogan. I am not surprised by the decision, it is completely logical." With this move, however, the future former president made a serious political mistake. "He took off his mask before the performance even started," summarized the leader of "Revival".
The BSP is highly skeptical towards a potential political project by Rumen Radev and fear that he will use them for his own gain. "The BSP needs a change. We are threatened by serious electoral damages. A potential project by Radev is a real threat," stated MEP Kristian Vigenin a day prior.
The "There Is Such a People" party has not yet expressed a definitive position towards a potential political project by the president. However, according to all experts, they will be one of the parties that suffer losses as he pulls in votes. Only "We Continue the Change" are elusive about their relationship with Rumen Radev. There is an explanation for this - Radev created them and "planted" them in the Bulgarian political field. Nevertheless, there is a cold peace between them. "Our conflict with Rumen Radev started with the fact that after the beginning of the war, Bulgaria should free itself from Russian energy. Radev then defended Russian interests, not Bulgarian interests in the field of energy. Our conflict with the president came from Radev's geopolitical position," explained former Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov.
Bulgarian presidents back in time:
Newly elected President and Vice President Zhelyu Zhelev and Blaga Dimitrova take oath before the National Assembly in 1992.
Peter Stoyanov takes oath before the National Assembly, 1997
Parvanov and Marin take oath, 2002
Parvanov and Stoyanov at the transfer of power at "Dondukov" 2
Two true presidents - Parvanov and Stoyanov
Rosen Plevneliev takes oath, 2012
Rosen Plevneliev and Georgi Parvanov at the Unknown Soldier Monument The first speech of Rumen Radev after taking oath before the parliament, 2017
Photos: BTA, archive
29974 | 18 Jan. 2026 | 21:12
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