Bulgaria to send new military aid to Ukraine - politicians' reactions

Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, requested from Bulgaria armaments, except aircraft, defence minister, Todor Tagarev, said on July 7 and confirmed that the country will send military aid to Ukraine.

Todor Tagarev said that the list includes heavy armoured vehicles and air defence systems and clarified that it does not ask for aircraft.

"Ukraine has huge needs. The war is going full force on the front. As Volodymyr Zelenskyy said - they use thousands of shells a day and many other things are needed," Tagarev noted.

Zelensky has handed over a list of arms and ammunition, the minister said.

"They provided us with a list, this is one of the consecutive lists we are receiving. It does not ask for aircraft. Everything else is there. We understand the needs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the question is what is within our capabilities, what we can give and under what conditions," the defence minister said.

Zelensky's visit to Bulgaria (summary)

Prime Minister Denkov is adamant - Bulgaria will not sent to Ukraine anything that would threaten our security.

"What should be clear is that President Zelensky's job is to seek military assistance, it is normal for him to present a list, as Minister Tagarev and I have repeatedly explained in recent days - we can only provide military equipment that will not threaten our national security. I want to make it clear that mixing up Zelensky's list, which he probably takes to different countries and says what he needs, with what Bulgaria could actually provide, which does not correspond to this list, mixing up these two topics leads to tension, which is unnecessary. I repeat again - Bulgaria will send what the military in Bulgaria said would not endanger our security", assured Bulgaria’s PM Nikolai Denkov.

Here are some of the positions of the parliamentary groups:

Hristo Gadzhev, GERB-UDF:

"The list has not been provided to us in the National Assembly. This will obviously happen in the coming days, let's see what the analysis of the Ministry of Defence will be. Judging from previous lists, they have always been really broad, because Ukraine needs a lot of things, almost everything. Now we have to see what the decision of the Ministry of Defence and the Council of Ministers will be."

Ivaylo Mirchev, PG of "We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria":

"The list itself is not even that long and in terms of volume it is similar to the first volume we sent, and in terms of value it is more than modest. However, without in any way impairing the combat capability of the Bulgarian army, we are helping Ukraine with weapons, ammunition with things they need, because that is the right thing to do - let's be honest. Ukraine has been paying for the ammunition and weapons that we have been sending for the last 18 months. The military-industrial complex has realised about BGN 5 billion."

Ivelin Parvanov of “Vazrazhdane” Group:

"What kind of rattled machines will you provide us in place of what we will sent as armoured vehicles? Because we see how nicely the rattled objects are burning on the steppes and there is no one to evacuate them".

Mustafa Karadayi, of MRF:

"The National Assembly has made its decision. For any other specifics, ask those who deal with the specifics. I will repeat once again – refer your questions to Minister Tagarev. The lists and the specifics are there, and the decision, the next decision, will be made by the Council of Ministers. The National Assembly has taken its decision."

Toshko Yordanov, chairman of the "There is Such a People" group:

"Yesterday, at these protocol meetings, there were no such talks. If this is true, Minister of Defence Tagarev, should be very careful what he does, because the army comes first. If the list includes everything, except aircraft, the rest all that is important for Bulgaria is our tanks. There are 40 upgraded tanks, which, if he starts giving them away, he will bare an army and will have to face the consequences for that, as well as the air defence systems. If he starts giving them, he has to choose which will be a vulnerable point - Sofia or the NPP. He will meet resistance on that. But if he does, he will have to bear the consequences for that. There is no control over the minister in that respect."