site.btaEconomy Minister Denies Allegations of Presidential Secretary General about Arms Sales to Ukraine

Economy Minister Kornelia Ninova Tuesday denied allegations by the President's Secretary General Dimitar Stoyanov about an arms deal which was meant for Afghanistan but was diverted to Ukraine. Speaking to the press at an emergency news conference, she said that Stoyanov's allegations in a Facebook post were a manipulation that put a smear on the Presidency. She also said that the issue of arms sales to Ukraine is being used in some people's political agenda for attacks against the government, the Economy Ministry, the interdepartmental commission on arms export and Ninova herself.

In his Facebook post of June 25, the President's Secretary General published a photo of part of a document issued by the Economy Ministry, saying that the destination of certain deliveries was changed from Afghanistan to Ukraine. His comment to the photo was "Some people lie on a regular basis. Lying also seems to be contagious and is passed from government minister to chief of office".

He was apparently referring to Ninova's consistent denial of allegations that Bulgaria is exporting arms to Ukraine.

The Bulgarian Parliament resolved that Bulgaria would not sell arms to Ukraine and can only offer military assistance in the form of defence equipment repairs. Allegations are that this resolution is consistently violated and that Ninova is fully aware of that in her capacity as minister in charge of the military-industrial complex.

Ninova explained at the news conference that the photo of the document made public by Dimitar Stoyanov is a memo from the former CEO of the VMZ Sopot ordnance factory to the company Board of Directors, asking that a 2021 armaments deal signed under the President-appointed caretaker government of Stefan Yanev be rescheduled for 2022 and the final destination be changed from Afghanistan to Ukraine. The VMZ Board approved the proposal and submitted the necessary documents to the interdepartmental commission on weaponry export but it refused to consider and clear the deal.

"Stoyanov embarrasses the President and implicates him in arms trade with Ukraine," said Ninova.

She said her battle is not with the President's Office but with fake news.

She would not take questions from the media at the news conference.