"Progressive Bulgaria" is a political coalition in, established to participate in the parliamentary elections on April 19, 2026.
Rumen Radev
"Progressive Bulgaria is the answer to the expectations of Bulgarians for dismantling the oligarchic corruption model"
"I expect this year the political calendar to follow the natural calendar and that in April the political spring that all Bulgarians are expecting will arrive"
Economic rebound strategy: The technocratic vision of "Progressive Bulgaria"
On April 19, 2026, parliamentary elections are due, for which the political coalition "Progressive Bulgaria" was created. The formation's platform emphasizes the need for a radical recalibration of the economic model to address the systemic deficit of institutional capacity. According to the coalition's analysis, the current model generates "growth without catching up", which condemns the nation to a 25-year wait to reach the average European living standards. The vision of the project is based on a transition from an extractive model to an inclusive economy of knowledge and innovation.
Institutional reform and preventive control through artificial intelligence
The foundation of the program is the dismantling of the oligarchic model, which functions as a pyramid and controls resources, institutions and media. The project offers a high-tech approach to ensuring transparency and eliminating corruption:
– Implementation of the Sigma AI (Integrated Citizen Monitoring and Analysis) system for the transition from reactive to preventive control of fiscal resources in real time.
– Automatic tracking of dependencies between companies, individuals and clients in order to eliminate the subjective human factor.
– Instant verification of estimated prices in public procurement against actual market levels (market benchmarking).
– Creation of an independent Investment Ombudsman institution to guarantee protection against administrative arbitrariness and racketeering.
Technological sovereignty and a high value-added economy
"Progressive Bulgaria" aims to transform the export profile by moving from the export of raw materials to the production of finished products with high added value. In order to transform the state from a passive registrar into an active accelerator of innovations, the following mechanisms are in place:
- Introduction of tax incentives and reliefs for reinvesting profits in technological innovation and automation.
- Building regulatory sandboxes – special zones with a relaxed regime where innovative technologies can be tested in a real environment.
- Stimulating dual listing of Bulgarian companies on leading European stock exchanges to mobilize private resources and attract international capital.
- Focus on sectors such as microprocessors, artificial intelligence and the restoration of the National Space Center as a high-tech unit.
Human capital and preparation for the economy of the future
Realizing the forecasts for automation of 1/3 of work activities by 2030, the program envisages large-scale investments in people:
- National implementation of dual training based on the German model to create a direct partnership between businesses and schools.
- Launching a re-migration strategy and a program to support highly qualified Bulgarians abroad, inspired by the successful experience of Portugal.
Sociological perspectives (Elections – April 2026)
According to the current electoral attitudes registered by leading sociological agencies ("Alpha Research", "Trend" and "Market LINKS"), the political project started with a strong position. The surveys show that "Progressive Bulgaria" (associated with President Rumen Radev) collects about 32.6% - 32.7% of the votes of those who have firmly decided to vote, which gives it first place with a convincing lead. In second position is GERB-SDS with a result of about 19.7% - 20.4%. For third place, a contested race is emerging between PP-DB (10.9% - 12.6%) and DPS-New Beginning (9.6% - 10.5%). The data indicate an expected voter turnout of over 50%, which suggests a strong public mobilization in support of the declared course towards technological and institutional modernization.
Strategic Framework for Economic Transformation
"Our goal is to dismantle the oligarchic model, strengthen statehood and the development of Bulgaria as a democratic and prosperous European country."
Political program
(Overview of the full program of the Progressive Bulgaria coalition)
The coalition's vision for economic change"Progressive Bulgaria"
Progressive Bulgaria – main strategic goals:
– Transformation of the export profile: Transition from export of raw materials to production of finished products with high added value.
– Technological sovereignty: Building national capacity in critical sectors, ensuring economic security and autonomy.
– Social justice: Eliminating the EU's record levels of inequality through growth based on productivity, not low labor costs.
Fundamental change, however, is impossible without the immediate dismantling of institutional barriers that stifle market initiative...
Dismantling the oligarchic model as a critical prerequisite
Mechanisms for blocking access to a public resource:
– Reference values: Introduction of mandatory market thresholds for public procurement in the water, sanitation, transport and infrastructure sectors to prevent the siphoning of funds.
– Strict investment supervision: Audit of landmark orders, sanctions for poor performance and public registers for delinquent companies.
– Financial lustration: Identification of front persons (straw people) and verification of discrepancies between assets and real income.
The guarantee of a predictable business environment will be the radical judicial reform: achieving a 2/3 majority in the National Assembly to replace the Supreme Judicial Council, ending the practice of "seconding" magistrates as a lever for influence, and full accountability of the prosecutor's office...
The state as an accelerator of innovation and technological sovereignty
Key measures to stimulate R&D:
– Tax incentives: Tax relief for reinvesting profits in technological innovation and automation.
– Patent support: Financial incentives for patenting Bulgarian inventions and promoting joint patents between science and industry.
– Regulatory sandboxes: Zones with a relaxed regime for testing innovative technologies in a real environment.
Sigma AI System:
A radical approach to public finance control
Effective management of fiscal resources requires a transition from reactive to preventive control in real time. System implementation Sigma AI (Integrated citizen monitoring and analysis).
Functional capacity of Sigma AI:
– Expert training: The system is trained by top experts to recognize specific patterns of favoritism in the technical specifications of orders.
– Connectivity analysis: Automatic tracking of dependencies between companies, individuals and clients to eliminate the subjective human factor.
– Market benchmarking: Instantly check estimated prices against actual market levels.
Sigma AI will provide unprecedented public control, with data accessible to citizens and investigative journalists. By the end of the year, this system will become an "engine" of transparency, making Bulgaria a regional leader in technological fight against corruption...
Education and Human Capital: Preparing for the Economy of the Future
Economic transformation is impossible without adequate human capital. According to McKinsey, automation will affect 1/3 of work activities by 2030, requiring a massive national retraining program.
Educational priorities:
– Flexible skills: Transition from passive memorization to critical thinking and implementation of AI literacy from an early age.
– Dual training: National implementation of the German model for direct partnership between businesses and schools to tackle youth unemployment.
– Re-migration strategy: Following the example of Portugal (where the success in Lisbon brought back 30,000 specialists), we will launch a program to support highly qualified Bulgarians abroad. They should become our "ambassadorsfor technology and investment.
The coalition program PROGRESSIVE BULGARIA