A View from the East: Ivelin Mihaylov Warns Switzerland and Criticizes Bulgaria’s EU and Eurozone Membership (Article in Switzerland’s Most Visited Portal Blick.ch)

Blick.ch is one of the most visited news websites in Switzerland, with over 1 million visitors per day and an active digital subscription service, Blick+. We provide a summary of an article published by Blick.ch on the occasion of Ivelin Mihaylov's visit to Switzerland.

The original article in French can be read here.

Translation of the French headline: „This Bulgarian opposition politician warns Switzerland against the Bilatérales III agreement“

The founder of the Bulgarian opposition party „Velichie“, Ivelin Mihaylov, used his visit to Geneva to issue a serious warning to Switzerland regarding the upcoming Bilatérales III agreement and to share Bulgaria’s bitter experience after joining the European Union. The party „Velichie“, founded in 2023, managed to surpass the 4-percent threshold in the 2024 parliamentary elections and won 13 seats in the National Assembly, thanks to a successful social media campaign.

Criticism of the EU and concerns about the eurozone

Mihaylov, an economist by education, strongly criticizes the consequences of Bulgaria’s EU membership, stating that the Bulgarian economy, especially the regional economy, has been „sacrificed“. According to him, this is due both to European legislation and to the way it has been applied in Bulgaria, but above all to the „endemic corruption“ in the country. He describes Bulgaria’s planned entry into the eurozone on January 1, 2026, as a „Greek scenario“ with manipulated figures and insists on postponing the process. According to Mihaylov, Bulgaria is not ready for the euro, and the push to accelerate entry is motivated solely by geopolitical reasons.

Corruption as the „internal enemy“

Ivelin Mihaylov emphasizes that for him the main enemy is internal – corruption and the local „mafia“. He blames European leaders for maintaining this situation, stating that „Europe has been appointing corrupt people to lead Bulgaria for 30 years.“ Bulgaria ranks lowest in the EU in the 2024 Transparency International corruption index. Mihaylov recounts that he tried to alert leaders in Brussels about the problem, but they refused to listen, making them „complicit in this situation.“ He himself has faced direct threats and legal obstacles due to his political activity, including bribery offers from the „mafia“.

The destruction of Bulgarian agriculture and regional economies

Mihaylov’s experience as an entrepreneur after Bulgaria joined the EU convinced him of the negative consequences. He recalls that in 2007 the EU enjoyed 95% approval in Bulgaria because people trusted in legal security. However, disappointment soon followed. After European legislation came into force, farmers and agricultural producers found themselves at a disadvantage, and the economies of entire regions collapsed.

Before the EU, Bulgaria had a diversified agricultural sector, exporting vegetables, canned goods, sparkling wine, eggs, and fruits to the former Soviet republics and the Middle East, with a developed greenhouse industry and highly efficient logistics. After accession, European legislation imposed quotas, and the Bulgarian government restricted vegetable production, suffocating small and medium producers. Privatization, land fragmentation, and foreign competition further reduced production, leading to abandoned farms and greenhouses, and the closure of factories and small businesses. As a result, Bulgarian rural areas began to depopulate as both the government and private sector abandoned them.

Warning to Switzerland

Ivelin Mihaylov warns Swiss citizens not to accept the Bilatérales III agreement. He claims that if Switzerland signs it, the EU could „steal“ Swiss resources, large companies would be favored at the expense of the local economy, and citizens’ rights would be taken away, as the EU does not support referendums or civic initiatives.

Vision for Bulgaria’s future

Despite the challenges, Mihaylov has a clear vision for Bulgaria’s future. He wants his country to position itself between the US and Switzerland in terms of openness, liberalism, and democracy. He opposes protectionism and advocates for freedoms, but not for an economy whose sole purpose is profit maximization.

His ideal project for Bulgaria is to focus on producing high-quality products. According to him, Bulgaria has the know-how to serve a market of 800 million wealthy people worldwide, offering high-end food, therapeutic seaside tourism, clinics, and preserved natural regions. He sees Bulgaria as an alternative to Switzerland and Dubai in this market.

Regarding ideology, Mihaylov rejects labels, believing that „words have lost their meaning.“ He describes himself as scientific and pragmatic, a strong defender of the rule of law, but also an Orthodox Christian. This faith, according to him, provides a „sense of justice and acceptance of others,“ without which society would collapse.