Association of Ukrainian organisations in Bulgaria warns of phony protest planned for Sofia
Pro-Russian structures are organising a “peaceful rally” entitled “End the war in Ukraine” in which Ukrainian-speaking people have been recruited to participate, pushing the line that the war should end at the expense of Ukraine giving up Russian-occupied territory, the Association of Ukrainian Organisations “Mother Ukraine” said on December 19.
The association posted on its Facebook page a letter addressed to Bulgaria’s head of state, Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and head of the State Agency for National Security about the event, which is planned for December 20 in front of the Presidency office in central Sofia.
The association said that the entire Ukrainian community in Bulgaria, all registered organisations, volunteer movements and Ukrainians who have temporary protection distanced themselves from the event “and condemn the conduct of such a hybrid action”.
“The organisers plan to cover the pro-Russian event with Ukrainian flags and slogans such as ‘No to the war’, ‘Enough with the shedding of Slavic blood’ and even ‘The President of Bulgaria should become a mediator in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia to end hostilities between the Slavic nations’,” the association said.
It said that since the beginning of December, there has been information that pro-Russian structures in Bulgaria have begun recruiting people speaking the Ukrainian language to participate in performances staged by the Kremlin.
“The purpose of the event in the capital is not only to discredit Ukraine and to give the impression that Ukrainians are ready to surrender and accept the conditions of the Kremlin, but also to discredit Bulgaria and the leadership of the Bulgarian state, creating hybrid suggestions that anti-Ukrainian initiatives are supported by part of the Bulgarian and Ukrainian society in our country,” the association said.
Ukrainians in Bulgaria firmly support the official position of Ukraine, which is based on the Peace Formula of the President of Ukraine, the letter said.
“Peace negotiations are possible solely and only after the withdrawal of Russian troops from all internationally recognised territories of Ukraine as of 1991 and Russia being held accountable,” it said.
The association said that this position is officially supported by Bulgaria, which has actively participated in the work on the Peace Formula and supports the state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
“Such actions by pro-Russian structures in Bulgaria with the aim of instilling suggestions that Ukrainians are ready for a peaceful resolution of the conflict on the terms of the Kremlin regime must be stopped immediately.”
If Ukrainian citizens were found to be among the organisers or participants in the rally, they were Russian agents, the organisation said.
It called on all Bulgarian institutions to take the initiative to investigate the dangerous activities of pro-Russian forces in Bulgaria.
At the same time, the Mother Ukraine organisation thanked state institutions for the consistent support of Ukraine in the fight against Russian armed aggression.
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