On Monday, the Progressive Bulgaria Party of former President Rumen Georgiev Radev (62) won the election for the post of Prime Minister in the European country Bulgaria. He got 135 seats out of 240. He defeated former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. Radev was the President of Bulgaria since 2017. He resigned just a few days before the elections. There are many stories of him rising from Air Force Commander to PM post. Born on June 18, 1963 in Sirishtnik, Bulgaria, Radev wanted to fly planes since childhood. In the 80s, to become a pilot in the Air Force, a condition was put before him that to fly MiG-21 or MiG-29, he would have to take membership of the Communist Party. Out of passion he accepted this condition. He later admitted that the decision was not an ideology, but a dedication to aviation. When the law changed in 1990, he left the party. In 2014, Radev himself surprised everyone by flying a MiG-29 at an air show. He performed the dangerous ‘Pugachev Cobra’ maneuver in the air, in which the aircraft suddenly rises from the front, becomes almost vertical and then recovers. This dangerous stunt when he was the Army Chief was discussed all over the world. In 2016 he resigned from the post of Army Chief. The reason was conflict over sovereignty. Then-Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev wanted fighter aircraft from Poland and other NATO countries to take over the country’s security, but Radev considered this an insult. He clearly said, a nation that entrusts its security to others loses its independence. In protest he took off his uniform. After this he entered politics and won the election as an independent candidate in 2017. During Radev’s presidency, seven caretaker governments were formed in nine years, which is a record in the democratic history of Bulgaria. Amid political instability, he vetoed legislation 46 times, including major government deals and judicial appointments. In 2019, the F-16 deal was stopped on technical and corruption grounds. He is the first president to use the most veto since 1990. Holding a stick, he turned 360 degrees. Even at the age of 62, Radev’s fitness is like that of an athlete. During one visit, he suddenly climbed onto the gymnastics bar and did several push-ups continuously, which surprised the security personnel and many guests present there. Then, holding the hanging stick, he rotated 360 degrees. Even at the age of 62, he takes great care of fitness.
Source link
Rumen, fond of flying fighter jets, won the election: Bulgaria’s new PM does push-ups at the age of 62; Also served as Air Force Chief
