Dimitar Zhelyazkov Stoyanov

Public record

Compiled from publications and official records as of 18.10.2026. Every statement links to its source; claims made by others are marked as such, with who makes them. Quotations in English are our translation.

• Gazprom. As caretaker defence minister in August 2022 he said of the Gazprom dispute: "We will end up in arbitration anyway ... Most likely we will pay over USD 1 billion" (our translation); RFE/RL notes the government used this claim to justify reopening talks with Gazprom, and that the claim is untrue. — RFE/RL, 26.08.2022
• S-300. As President Radev's secretary in September 2023 he called parliament's decision to give S-300 missiles to Ukraine a scandal: "Not a single piece of a missile should leave the Bulgarian army for this particular system" (our translation). — Sega, 28.09.2023
• Aid to Ukraine. As minister, on 9.06.2026 he announced that Bulgaria stops military aid to Ukraine from army stocks. — News.bg, 09.06.2026
• Pro-Russian parties. In February 2024, asked whether a Radev party would be pro-Russian, he answered that there are no pro-Russian parties in Bulgaria. — Mediapool, 01.02.2024
• F-16. As the President's chief secretary in 2019 he attacked the F-16 purchase: "We will acquire an extremely expensive aircraft with limited functionality" (our translation). — Sega, 11.07.2019 As caretaker minister in 2022 he asked Sweden for an offer of "interim" Gripen fighters until the purchased US F-16s arrive. — RFE/RL, 07.11.2022
• The KTB transcript. As the President's chief secretary he signed, on 26.01.2017, the refusal of Bivol's request for access to the transcript of the President's consultations on the failed KTB bank. — Bivol, 22.05.2017
• Advance payments. Former minister Atanas Zapryanov claims that it was under Stoyanov's caretaker term that advances of 100% of contract value were paid, and that one of the contracts with forged bank guarantees was signed then. Stoyanov attributes the advances to the previous management; the military prosecutor's office and DANS are checking. — Mediapool, 09.06.2026
• Tanker aircraft and Lukoil. Former minister Atanas Zapryanov claims Bulgaria accepted the US military tanker aircraft in exchange for an extension of the Russian-oil derogation for the Lukoil refinery; their deployment was carried out by Stoyanov's ministry. — Mediapool, 22.07.2026
• Ammunition. Mediapool writes in a commentary: "Dimitar Stoyanov himself, while caretaker defence minister, organised a scheme by which the ministry's available ammunition reached Ukraine in exchange for new ammunition to be produced by VMZ Sopot" (our translation). — Mediapool, 06.2026