ATHENS

A major Bulgarian centrist party accused the country's president of serving Russian interest amid his decision not to participate in the NATO summit that will be held in Washington in early July, local media reported on Friday.

"The refusal of President Rumen Radev to head Bulgaria's delegation at the NATO summit is a confirmation of what I have warned many times - his positions serve foreign, not national interests and are subjected to dependencies and ties in the East, contrary to the Euro-Atlantic values and principles," said Movement for Rights and Freedoms President Delyan Peevski, according to state-run BTA news agency.

He argued that Radev is consistently and demonstratively trying to divert Bulgaria from its commitments and destabilize it by pushing Russian influence and propaganda at this challenging time for the security of Europe and the world.

“The consistent position of the Euro-Atlantic majority in the previous parliaments in support of Ukraine, against Russia's unprovoked aggression and Bulgaria's loyalty to the Alliance cannot be compromised in the name of personal interests and political ambition,” Peevski added.

Also commenting on the president's decision, Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev said: "Considering that we are talking about the head of state, the commander-in-chief and a NATO general, I said that it makes sense for President Radev to head the delegation. I have no idea what embarrassed, frightened and worried him.”​​​​​​​