Parliament: No Bulgarian troops may be deployed in Ukraine outside alliance, international commitments

Bulgaria’s Parliament voted on February 21 to approve a declaration that the Bulgarian armed forces may not participate in military actions in Ukraine outside the country’s alliance commitments in Nato and other international commitments within the framework of the European Union, United Nations and Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

The vote on the declaration, which was tabled by MPs from the ruling majority, was 166 in favour and 27 against with 11 abstentions.

The votes in favour came from Boiko Borissov’s GERB-UDF, 62, We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, 29, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms – New Beginning, 27, the Bulgarian Socialist Party – United Left, 15, the Democracy, Rights and Freedoms group, 17, and ITN, 16.

Twenty-seven MPs from pro-Russian party Vuzrazhdane voted against.

Ten MPs from nationalist-populist party Mech abstained, as did one WCC-DB MP.

The declaration calls for a lasting and just peace in Ukraine through negotiations that include all directly affected parties, including Bulgaria; expresses the position of the 51st National Assembly on the non-participation of Bulgarian troops in military operations in Ukraine; calls on the government to continue the policy of peaceful settlement of international conflicts through diplomacy.

Ruling majority MPs said that the purpose of the declaration was primarily to reassure the Bulgarian public.

Vuzrazhdane announced that the declaration was only “an expression of opinion and has no binding force.” They said that the declaration left a door open by mentioning alliance and international commitments.

An amendment tabled by WCC-DB condemning Russian aggression was defeated, as were various amendments tabled by Vuzrazhdane.

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