22.01.2026
“Today Bulgaria joined the Board of Peace under the patronage of the United States of America and President Trump personally. It is an exceptional honor and pride for us that Nickolay Mladenov is the High Representative for Gaza.” This was stated by Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov after the official ceremony in Davos, Switzerland. Yesterday, the Bulgarian cabinet authorized Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov to sign to approve Bulgaria’s accession to the Board, with ratification by the Bulgarian Parliament pending. “Next week, a ratification bill will be submitted to the National Assembly to approve the accession and enable it to go into effect,” Rossen Jeliazkov said. The Prime Minister specifically emphasized that Bulgaria will not make a financial commitment. “Our involvement is entirely on our own will and both, the United States of America and the international community, duly appreciate it,” the Prime Minister noted.
Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov recalled that for many years Nickolay Mladenov served with distinction for Bulgaria as the UN Special Envoy for the Middle East and expressed confidence that under his direction a lasting and sustainable peace would be achieved in Gaza. Further, Rossen Jeliazkov noted that Bulgaria has traditionally very good relations with both the State of Israel and Palestine, and that this is a guarantee that Bulgaria’s role is seen as constructive and extremely beneficial. “That is why the presence of Nickolay Mladenov at the helm of the reconstruction and institutional strengthening of Gaza is extremely important,” Rossen Jeliazkov added.
“Peace and security in the Middle East region have always been of strategic importance for Bulgaria,” commented the Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev who is a member of the Prime Minister’s delegation in Davos for the World Economic Forum there. The Foreign Minister explained that the achievement of peace is a precondition to prevent a migration crisis comparable to the crises as witnessed in the recent past. “Peace in the Middle East is also a precondition for security and safety in our region but also in the whole of Europe,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs said firmly. Georg Georgiev pointed out that Bulgaria is an external Schengen border and nearness of the Middle East region to Bulgaria largely determines the security developments and the security architecture, including in the Balkans. “From this perspective, the achievement of peace in Gaza is an extremely important decision for Bulgaria,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev said further.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Bulgaria supports Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan and the Gaza Plan approved by a UN Security Council resolution. “The two plans are inextricably linked, and last but not least, the fact that a Bulgarian, who is the High Representative for Gaza, will be a member of BoP Executive Committee is, in my understanding, recognition both for the incredible work that Mr. Mladenov will do and for the capacity that will be invested to support peace in the Middle East region,” Bulgaria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs said further. Georg Georgiev reemphasized that Bulgaria’s membership of the Board of Peace under the leadership of US President Donald Trump does not implicate a financial commitment for Bulgaria. “Financial contributions are optional and are not binding on any of the countries,” he said and added that the decisions of the Board are not to be enforced automatically in the territory of any of the signatory states.
