site.btaUPDATED Parliamentary Committees on Defence, Foreign Policy Approve Draft Resolutions on Rendering Military and Military-Technical Support to Ukraine

The parliamentary committees on defence and on foreign policy Wednesday approved a draft resolution on rendering military and military-technical support to Ukraine. They merged two draft resolutions, one moved by Dessislava Atanassova of GERB-UDF and a group of MPs, and another by Atanas Atanassov of Democratic Bulgaria and a group of MPs. 

Caretaker Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said that the decision to render military and technical support to Ukraine needs to be taken after an in-depth analysis. In Stoyanov's opinion, this is how Parliament will take an informed decision. He said that the Defence Ministry is strictly implementing the resolution on rendering the necessary aid to Ukraine passed by the previous Parliament. 

"What we will recommend to be provided will be such so as not to reduce the capabilities of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. We should be very careful in providing military equipment so as not to lose capabilities," Stoyanov said. 

"We can hardly grant a concrete request for heavy weapons from the Ukrainian side as we will lose concrete capabilities which we will not be able to restore quickly," Stoyanov said, adding that Parliament will not resolve what type of armament to be provided, but will only take the political decision. "What can be provided at the expert level I expect will be assigned by the analysis which I referred to during the committees discussion. This analysis is essential. If someone expects that we will provide our air defence systems, this cannot happen," he said. 

Caretaker Foreign Minister Nikolay Milkov said that the decision to provide weapons to Ukraine is taken by each country in a sovereign manner and after an internal analysis. "The concrete aspects [of such a decision] take into account the capabilities of the country, including the internal attitudes. At the start of the process most countries were uncertain to what extent they can provide possible aid. These concerns were gradually overcome," Milkov said, adding that rendering military aid remains "a hot topic" for any government. 

MPs commented:

Angel Georgiev of Vazrazhdane said during the deliberations that his party is against the provision of military and technical aid to Ukraine. 

Atanas Slavov of Democratic Bulgaria called against gambling with what the public attitude is and whether the majority of the Bulgarians want or do not want whereby Bulgaria provide military aid to Ukraine.

Kristian Vigenin of the Bulgarian Socialist Party - For Bulgaria said "We do not have preliminary assessments what our abilities are for supporting Ukraine, we either do not have opinions of the services. Such a decision categorically makes us a collateral part of the conflict". In Vigenin's words, President Rumen Radev too is against a decision on rendering military aid to Ukraine. Vigenin said that the decision is "a hasty political stunt". 

Daniel Mitov of GERB-UDF said that the Bulgarian people has demonstrated its view on the issue, given that the voters have sent a majority of parties in the 48th National Assembly who want to pass a decision on rendering military aid to Ukraine. "The list of countries aiding Ukraine is a list of civilized countries. I want Bulgaria to be part of this list," Mitov said.

Djeihan Ibryamov of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms said that his party will support both draft resolutions. Ibryamov said that the decision on rendering military aid to Ukraine is belated and should have been passed by the previous National Assembly.