GERB MEP Urges Bulgaria to Deny Airspace to Russian President Putin

Alexander Yordanov, former Speaker of the National Assembly and MEP from GERB, expressed skepticism about Bulgaria’s ability to intercept a flight carrying Russian President Vladimir Putin. Writing on Facebook, Yordanov said he does not believe Bulgarian pilots could shoot down Putin’s plane but added that they would likely attempt it if Moscow requested the aircraft to fly over Bulgarian territory.

His comments followed reports that US President Donald Trump had agreed to meet Putin in Budapest in the coming days to continue discussions on ending the war in Ukraine. One possible route for Putin’s flight could pass over Bulgaria, although this remains unlikely.

Yordanov suggested that before any scenario is considered, the Bulgarian government should proactively refuse to grant a flight corridor for Putin. He noted that Poland and Romania would likely take the same stance. “The Kremlin leader will have to fly a much longer route to reach Budapest,” he wrote, highlighting that the alternative path could extend up to 5,000 kilometers, adding about three hours to the journey.

According to specialized aviation sources, the plane might bypass the Caspian Sea, Iran, Turkey, the Mediterranean, Montenegro, and Serbia before reaching Budapest. Yordanov emphasized that the extended flight would not be for leisure, but because Putin is subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine, including the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.

He criticized the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, stating it should refuse any requests from Moscow without waiting for formal permission, signaling in advance that the flight would not be allowed over Bulgarian territory.

Yordanov also condemned Trump’s decision to meet Putin again, recalling the previous Anchorage summit as humiliating for the United States. He added that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s long-standing pro-Putin stance, combined with his support for Trump, makes the Budapest meeting a “great humiliation for Hungary.”