Political parties respond to President Radev's comments on military aid to Ukraine

President Radev's criticism of Bulgarian aid to the war in Ukraine was echoed by comments in the Parliament.

Before the parliamentary question time on Friday, June 23, Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov said that the country’s only guarantee for security is its membership in NATO and that as a member we should fulfil our obligations. GERB-UDF leader Boyko Borissov believes that sending arms to Ukraine does not mean getting involved in a war.

Of the parties represented in Parliament, only "Vazrazhdane" and the socialist party, BSP , which have opposed sending weapons to Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict, made comments.

President Radev: The new government's course is to push Bulgaria closer to the war

Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic and the government strictly follows the decisions of the National Assembly, the PM said. According to him, the war is where it is and there is only one guarantee for Bulgaria's protection - its participation in the North Atlantic Pact.

"When one of the countries is threatened, when there is a common decision, Bulgaria should be a full member in finding this solution. Should we watch someone being beaten up next to us and ignore it and at the same time, can we expect those atching to protect us, if someone beats us. There is no way it can happen, we are part of this collective security and we have to do our duty," said Nikolai Denkov.

He added that the caretaker government was also sending military aid.

"Minister Tagarev has already explained several times that what we are preparing is similar to the packages that were sent from the time of the caretaker government, so all this is a media attack that has nothing to do with the substance."

With the caveat that he was speaking on behalf of his group, the GERB leader said the country was not being pushed towards war. At a meeting yesterday with Ukraine's deputy defence minister, Boyko Borissov was told that since the first day of the conflict Bulgaria had been exporting a huge amount of weapons to Ukraine.

"Only the difference between the production, commercial price and the delivery, is two-fold. That is to say, someone is exporting weapons all the time, while some commission agents are making 40 to 100% profit. Who is involved in this? Whoever was in power. Who has been running these processes in recent years. I.e. - the caretaker governments?," Boyko Borissov said.

Kostadin Kostadinov, “Vazrazhdane” leader, is of the opinion that the President repeats what “Vazrazhdane” have been saying since before this government was formed:

"That it will have only one goal - to involve Bulgaria into the war and now we see that this is happening step by step," Kostadinov said.

- What are the steps?

Kostadin Kostadinov: The statements by the Minister of Defence, Fyodor Tagarenko, as he is now known, that more and more weapons should be given to Ukraine, that the regime for the provision of weapons is being eased now on the part of our companies in the military-industrial complex, and that there are reports that people are being sent to Ukraine.

BSP leader recalled the party's position that providing arms to Ukraine would mean involving Bulgaria in the war.

"We were sure that Minister Tagarev would do everything necessary to provide everything we have and what we do not have and have not produced yet. Extremely worrying is his statement about training for combat medics and orderlies - this is absurd, if we send such people, this is a live force. Whatever he is explaining by saying 'we are sending medics and orderlies' - it would mean sending a live force, it would mean going straight into the war. We are categorically against", said Kornelia Ninova.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms and "There is Such a People" refused to comment.