Bulgaria will provide Ukraine with armoured transport vehicles, Parliament decided

With 142 votes in favour, the Parliament on July 21 decided to provide Ukraine with old armoured transport equipment with its weapons and spare parts from the Ministry of Interior.

Defence Committee approves provision of APCs to Ukraine

The MPs who submitted the proposal assured that the combat capabilities of the Bulgarian army would not be reduced and that 32 countries had provided military equipment to Ukraine. There were verbal skirmishes between GERB and BSP about whether arms had been exported to Ukraine while BSP leader, Kornelia Ninova, was a minister. Ninova said she had already won cases for these allegations.

"It is not true that we will reduce the combat capabilities of the army and that the assistance we provide is costly. So far, we have provided aid once - 20 million leva, and Ukraine has bought from our military factories equipment for 5 billion," explained Ivaylo Mirche, MP from “We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria”.

Mirchev also pointed out that 32 countries have given military equipment to Ukraine.

"In December, a letter was received from the United States saying that it was giving us millions in aid, but the caretaker government, apparently out of fear that we would go to war, did not accept. The myth that if we give arms to Ukraine, we are going to war with Russia, has been debunked. The President provided ammunition and we did not go to war. I hope the President has calmed down."

A process of disarmament of Bulgaria is underway, according to "Vazrazhdane".

"This decision is disgraceful and cuts our already meagre defence potential," said party leader Kostadin Kostadinov. “There was an idea to give the cherry cannons from the museums," he added.

The BSP asked how much the equipment we provide costs and pointed out that there was no analysi

The museum exhibits cannot be used, this will happen with the sanction of the Parliament, said Hristo Gadzhev from GERB-UDF.

"I hope it does not turn out that you have sold more than we give. It may turn out that the BSP exported weapons to Ukraine," Gadzhev added.

"I tolerated you, I kept quiet and I brought curt cases against you. One, two, three convictions in three cases of slander against Kornelia Ninova. Remove your immunities and come to court," BSP leader Kornelia Ninova replied.

“There is Such a People” asked whether these armoured personnel carriers (APC) could be used by the Civil Protection department.

"We should mobilise all Ukrainians in Bulgaria and send them to the front together with the APCs because they are in Bulgaria and drive expensive cars, but for Ukraine they are deserters," said Andrei Chorbanov from the “There is Such a People” (TISP) group.

The proposal was adopted with the votes of GERB-UDF, “We Continue the Change”, MRF and TISP.