Iotova: Protest note over Black Sea drone strikes only once there is proof

With less than two weeks to go before the Oct. 25 presidential election, Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova told bTV's morning show there was "still no conclusive evidence about the origin of the drones." Inspections of the two merchant ships hit in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone have so far found no drone debris. Bulgaria has asked the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) for an underwater drone to examine the sunken vessel. A diplomatic note and talks with the country responsible would follow only once responsibility is established, she said.

Iotova defended the decision not to seek consultations under Article 4 of the NATO treaty, saying the attacks took place outside territorial waters and that the article should be invoked with care. She called for consultations with Romania and Turkey and for talks on a moratorium on military activity in the Black Sea. She outlined three possible paths to ending the war in Ukraine: small steps such as an energy truce, a ceasefire based on a European proposal, or a comprehensive peace agreement.

Iotova said the best time for a televised debate with challenger Andrey Gyurov would be the week between the two rounds, should there be a runoff, and accepted bTV's invitation. On Sunday, Gyurov told Nova TV she was avoiding a debate before the first round and said the national security council had been convened too late. Iotova also warned of a hard winter with very high energy prices.