Zelensky's potential visit to Bulgaria caused division among parties in Parliament

The possible visit of Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky to Bulgaria and the draft declaration on Ukraine's accession to NATO divided the Parliament. According to the ruling majority, a visit by Zelensky would be a clear sign for the democratic community in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) said that they would reiterate to him their position against Ukraine's accession to NATO and demanded the resignation of Bulgaria’s Defence Minister Todor Tagarev over his statements on the Montreux Convention.

Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Bulgaria is a recognition of what Bulgaria has been doing in recent months, GERB-UDF leader Boyko Borissov said.

"President Zelensky is one of the people who are currently defining world politics, in war with the aggressor Russia. Such a visit would be a very good sign for the democratic community in Bulgaria, a reaffirmation of our Euro-Atlantic goals, a recognition of all that Bulgaria has been doing in recent months. So if there is such a visit, we will meet him," he said.

According to Borissov, God and nature have helped to ensure that there is no environmental damage because of the blasting of the Nova Kakhovka dam.

"But what came out of his talks with President Zelensky about the problems with Zaporizhzhya NPP, you remember that from the first day of the war, that's what I was telling you that I was worried about. This is the biggest nuclear power plant and is possibly the biggest nuclear bomb in Europe. The world community must ensure that this largest nuclear power plant does not become a nuclear bomb," Borissov added.

According to the second largest group in Parliament, “We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria” (WCC-DB), Bulgaria has expressed and must continue to express full support for Ukraine.

"There is no need for President Zelensky to come to Bulgaria to hear what is important for Bulgaria to express as a position. A position that we, as WCC-DB, as the Petkov cabinet, and now as the coalition governing in the Denkov cabinet, have expressed it repeatedly. Full support for Ukraine, for the restoration of its entire territory after Russia's aggression. Full support, economic, military-technical and political," said Daniel Lorer of WCC-DB.

The Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) and "There is Such a People" remain in the dark whether Zelensky will come to Bulgaria or not, but would welcome him.

"Let's see if this visit will take place or not, and then we will comment on it. I think whatever we have to say, we have expressed it with our declaration that we fully support them," MRF MP Delyan Peevski said.

"After they have invited him, he is welcome. We are a developed European country. Ukraine is part of Europe. What is happening to them now is terrible. I do not know what the purpose of his visit is, perhaps to express our sympathy for Ukraine again. If that's what it is, let him come," Stanislav Balabanov of "There is Such a People" said.

If Zelensky comes to Parliament, he will hear BSP’s position again – which is against Ukraine's accession to NATO.

"He will hear again openly, consistently and in principle the position of the BSP, and why we are against the export of weapons and the decision now in Vilnius on Ukraine's entry into NATO," announced BSP leader Kornelia Ninova.

"The serious, big member states are expressing their differences, these are the US, Germany, France, Hungary, including there is a statement by President Biden, by Mr Stoltenberg, that they should at this stage refrain from taking a position on Ukraine's admission to NATO, and that this would pit the whole alliance against Russia in a war, it might mean a world war," she added.

Ninova also demanded the resignation of the defence minister Todor Tagarev over his words on Monday that "regardless of the limitations of the Montreux Convention, Bulgaria should ensure that allies can help us with intelligence and kinetic means in the Black Sea."

"We demand the immediate resignation of Minister Tagarev. He is already harmful to Bulgaria. His actions and words are dangerous for national security, for the security of Bulgarian citizens, for peace and for the neutrality of Bulgaria," she said.

Tagarev was also attacked by “Vazrazhdane” party, who said he had said we should seal the allied Black Sea Naval Base with a possible US base, which violates the Montreux Convention.

"We want to address the people who are currently running the country and warn them not to play with fire because this is really playing with fire. This is escalating tensions in the Black Sea and this could lead to a very serious military conflict," said Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of “Vazrazhdane”.

Defence Minister Todor Tagarev responded laconically that he was not worried about calls for his resignation.

"All I can say is that I am not bothered in any way by the fact that the leader of an opposition party that has decided to position itself as opposition, including on issues of aid to Ukraine, it does not bother me in any way and will not change my behaviour. I assume he will not change the behaviour of the cabinet either," Tagarev said.

"The Montreux Convention is a very important international document and everything we discuss and talk about is in strict accordance with this international document. It is just that someone has decided to interpret my words in a way that is politically expedient for propaganda purposes," the defence minister added.

Regarding Zaporizhzhya, Tagarev also said that he hoped that the Russian side would refrain from acts similar to the blowing up of the Nova Kakhovka dam.

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