Bulgaria to give S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine, MPs decide

The MPs adopted the draft decision on the provision of additional military assistance to Ukraine submitted by GERB-UDF, WCC-DB and MRF. This was done during a closed sitting on September 27, but it was not clear by how many and whose votes.

With this decision, the National Assembly approved to send Ukraine unserviceable 5V55R surface-to-air missiles. Together with them, Bulgaria will also send ammunition for automatic small arms with a calibre of 5.56x45 mm, which is no longer necessary for the needs of the Ministry of Interior.

The draft decision has been submitted by Boyko Borissov, Hristo Ivanov, Delyan Peevski, Ivaylo Mirchev, Kiril Petkov and Hristo Gadzhev. During the debates in plenary, the draft decision was strongly opposed and strongly criticised by the opposition in the face of "Vazrazhdane", Bulgarian Socialist Party and “There is Such a People”. It took nearly an hour for the substantive debate to start with each of the three aforementioned parties requesting a break to allow time for the meeting of the Defence Minister Todor Tagarev, the Directors of Intelligence and others.

Russia urges Bulgaria to reconsider decision to give S-300 missiles to Kiev

GERB's Hristo Gadzhev said that Bulgaria would provide ammunition that is currently unserviceable to the Bulgarian air force. "They cannot be used," he clarified. Gadzhev commented that the Ministry of Defence had made an attempt to repair the anti-aircraft missiles, but it was unsuccessful.

According to him, the minimum amount of military aid Bulgaria will provide will in no way harm the combat readiness of the Bulgarian army.

Images by BTA

Sharp reactions and criticism came from the BSP, TISP and the "Vazrazhdane" party, which opposed providing additional military aid to Kiev. Eventually, at the request of "Vazrazhdane", the Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, and the Deputy Commander of the Air Force, Brigadier General Petyo Mirchev, were heard in a closed sitting, and they were to give more information to the MPs on the state of the Bulgarian army and the exact armaments that are proposed to be provided to Ukraine.

Source: BGNES