Bulgarian President Rumen Radev stressed the essential role that metallurgy, heavy, and mining industries play in the economic growth of Europe. He made these comments at a special event in Sofia that commemorated Metallurgist's Day and was held under his patronage. Radev pointed out that Bulgaria could leverage its involvement in these industries to establish a strong presence within European economic processes and make valuable contributions to the region's future advancement.
Furthermore, Radev criticized the European Union's previous assumptions regarding the mining and extractive sectors. He noted that the EU had operated under the misguided notion that it could gradually phase out domestic mines and extractive industries while relying on importing affordable raw materials from external sources. Additionally, there was an expectation for Europe to export its heavy industry and metallurgy in favor of developing high-tech, green, and digital technologies. However, Radev highlighted how recent crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine, and the energy crisis, had disrupted this complacency within Europe. These events served as wake-up calls that shook Europe out of its unrealistic expectations and forced a reevaluation of its industrial strategies.