Plevneliev: Bulgaria will not send military and weapons to Ukraine
There will be no Nato bases in Bulgaria and nor will the country send military personnel and weapons to Ukraine, head of state President Rossen Plevneliev told reporters while attending the first day of the Nato Summit in Wales on September 4.
Plevneliev was commenting on a Nato plan to reinforce the alliance’s eastern flank after Russian annexation of Crimea and against the background of the war in eastern Ukraine.
There are discussions on the establishment of Nato bases in five countries – the three Baltic states, Poland and Romania, and the setting up of a rapid reaction force that can be deployed within 48 hours of a crisis occurring.
“The balance in the Black Sea has been violated and there should be instruments for monitoring and intelligence so that we can feel assured,” Plevneliev was quoted as saying in a report by bTV. However, he was adamant that the conflict would not be solved through the barrel of a gun.
Bulgaria will push to strengthen the Black Sea flank through enhanced exercises with allies.
A plan for defence against attack has been prepared jointly with Romania.
“A plan for the protection of Romania and Bulgaria as a specific document is also laid down as a commitment by Nato in the event of attack. Besides political declarations, we have plans for what would happen in such a situation,” Plevneliev said.
The President, who is accompanied at the Nato Summit Wales by caretaker Defence Minister Velizar Shalamanov and caretaker Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov, said that Bulgaria would support the trust fund to treat soldiers from Ukraine with 500 000 leva (about 256 400 euro).
(Photos: president.bg and nato.int)
