President Radev to students: If you let someone else think and decide for you about the progress of Bulgaria, you will become guests in your own future

Do not wait for someone else to take responsibility for you - to think, decide and do work for you, because if you allow this, you will be guests in your own future. Young people who choose to stay and realize themselves in Bulgaria will have the huge advantage of contributing to the progress of their own homeland, and this is also a matter of responsibility towards the future. This was stated by President Rumen Radev to students at the opening of the 21st edition of the Youth Economic Forum, which was held at the UNWE. The event is under the patronage of the head of state and brought together about 500 young people and representatives of student councils from the country. The topic of the lecture, which the president delivered, was dedicated to the prospects and challenges facing young people in our country.

“Youth goes where it gets wings to realize its ambitions, it wants an equal start, timely support and conditions that guarantee its talent,” said the head of state. Rumen Radev added that young people feel alienated where corpulent brokers have already divided the state into portions and have already decided the future in many sectors. President Radev pointed out that some of the young Bulgarians will probably choose the shorter and seemingly more successful path to realize their talent in more orderly societies and prosperous companies abroad, but the rest will have the opportunity to experience the satisfaction of having contributed to the progress of their Homeland. “And this is one of the strongest and most valuable feelings,” emphasized the head of state in his lecture to the students. According to him, the development opportunities for young people in Bulgaria are growing and those of them with clear ambition, efforts and perseverance will be professionally realized in high positions.

"The main question that will be before you is with what attention and attitude you will be towards the social and political processes in the country, while pursuing your personal ambitions and well-being. If you strongly pursue your personal ambitions, but remain deaf and mute to what is happening around you, namely - the degrading socio-political processes, you will achieve well-being, but not in the long term, because it will not last long against the backdrop of the ongoing institutional collapse," said Rumen Radev. The President added that Bulgaria will develop if the youth do not remain indifferent to a number of problems in our country: if they accept as an insult to the intellect what is happening in the Bulgarian political space, the language that flows from the parliamentary rostrum, the ambitions of people with low passions to swallow their future, hiding and camouflaging it behind slogans that they think about the young and concealing their obvious greed. The President stated that the ostentatious suicide of parliamentarism and the public execution of meritocracy, which is expressed in governing those who are educated, prepared, know and can, is worrying.

“When there is no light on unpunished corruption and behind-the-scenes schemes, this is worrying. But when the light is shed and it is seen that there is no retribution and consequence, then the demotivation and loss of trust is even greater,” said the head of state and summarized some of the socio-political processes that must be fought: the lack of justice, the restriction and stifling of media freedom, the takeover of entire institutions and their transformation into clubs, poverty, deserted villages, neglected nature. “If we do not make joint efforts, it is your generation that will have to pay the heavy toll for our decades-long inability to build a healthy, strong, functioning state at all levels, and your generation will have to pay the serious loans that are currently being taken out,” added the president. Personal salvation is not a sustainable solution, and guaranteeing one’s own success is only possible if you join forces and youthful energy to address the ills of society, President Radev told the youth.

Rumen Radev noted that young people expect educational programs that make knowledge applicable, quality jobs, adequate demographic policies, and justice in society. According to the head of state, solving demographic problems involves establishing the rule of law in our country, because this will lead to increased trust in institutions, less corruption, justice, protection of private property, access to quality education and healthcare.

The president pointed out that the common denominator for all successful economies and societies is investment in young people and education. "For educated people, freedom is a supreme value and it is very difficult for them to be manipulated even by ignorant and skilled politicians,” the president said and explained that enlightened people understand the connection between personal and public goals, do not accept the shortcomings of society and seek solutions beyond everyday life. The president emphasized the need to develop educational and scientific infrastructure in our country, to involve young people in socially significant causes, policies for young families, and to stimulate physical activity.

In response to questions from a student about the changes to the Constitution, the president said that the paradoxical situation has come to the point where the authors of the amendments complain about them. The president pointed out that responsibility and trust are important for politics, and when responsibility is blurred and there is none, this begins to destroy the foundations of democracy. “When the institutional foundations of the state are destroyed, the path to chaos is very short and this destroys trust in institutions,” said Rumen Radev.

The head of state also pointed out that society should not allow only a certain number of politicians to make decisions. “We see that when they are left without public supervision and control, they make decisions solely in their own interest, disguising them with some concern for your future, which they are actually robbing,” he pointed out. The President called on young people to realize their responsibility, that the future is in their hands.

“Diplomacy should come before the bombs and missiles, and not after them to extinguish the consequences,” said the President, when asked about the war in Ukraine. According to Rumen Radev, in recent years the principle that diplomacy should prevent conflicts has been increasingly violated. “In my opinion, this is because life has ceased to be a fundamental human value,” said the Head of State, adding that hostilities can be stopped if there is a clear political will and if diplomacy is given way, and not only to ambitious politicians and generals.

In response to a student's question about the worrying political situation in the country and the expectation that the president will take measures to change the situation, Rumen Radev indicated that he receives similar questions from all over the country and that he is doing everything he can within the framework of his powers as head of state. "To a large extent, this question saddens and worries me, because the hope and expectation in people mean that trust in institutions, as well as in the current political model, is really running out," the head of state indicated. The president expressed his expectation that political parties and the Bulgarian parliament will show reason and wisdom and stand at the height that people expect from them. "The other is the state going into emergency mode," the president stated and expressed his hope that Bulgarian parliamentarism will prove its ability to make responsible decisions.