Radev government’s announcement of end of providing weapons to Ukraine sharply criticised

The announcement by Prime Minister Roumen Radev’s government that Bulgaria will no longer provide weapons to Ukraine has been sharply criticised by opposition groups in Parliament.

The announcement was made by Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov on June 9 and confirmed by Radev at a regular meeting of the Cabinet on June 10.

“The government is terminating the provision of weapons by the Bulgarian Army to Ukraine,” Radev said.

“We have already given enough, and our country continues to suffer socio-economic damage from this bloody war,” he said.

“We are convinced that achieving a peaceful solution will not be achieved by military means.

“Therefore, we once again call for a comprehensive, realistic approach to this war and the search for a diplomatic solution,” Radev said.

Stoyanov told bTV in June 10 interview that the decision would not prevent Bulgaria’s arms industry selling weapons to Ukraine.

“We are stopping the provision of weapons and ammunition from the warehouses of the Bulgarian army. The word is provision, not sale,” Stoyanov said.

He said that the Defence Ministry had assessed the stockpiles and had determined that it cannot continue providing military aid from military warehouses.

Stoyanov said that since taking office on May 8, he had not received specific requests from Kyiv for new supplies.

Asked whether the government was not contradicting the National Assembly’s decision on providing military assistance to Ukraine, Stoyanov said that the document provides for the assistance to be provided only if there is an opportunity on the Bulgarian side.

“The provision of equipment is done on request from the Ukrainian side and, if possible, from the Bulgarian side. We believe that this possibility has already been exhausted,” he said.

Georg Georgiev, an MP for opposition group GERB-UDF and a former foreign minister, said that he sees risks for Bulgaria ‘s position and interests after the decision on Ukraine .

“If I follow the comments and behaviour of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – they are one thing, those of the Ministry of Defence and the Prime Minister are different,” Georgiev said.

“This either indicates disagreements in the Cabinet, or confirms the thesis we have – one thing is said abroad in front of partners, and another is said for domestic political use, populist,” he said.

“Every political decision, however, has its economic measures. We are putting the benefits for our economy, budget and enterprises at risk . Everything that has happened, such as the modernisation of the Bulgarian army, receipts of funds amounting to hundreds of billions, is a function of decisions we have made in recent years,” Georgiev said.

He said that the total value of the funds received from Bulgaria in exchange for the aid provided exceeds a billion leva, and gave an example of a contract for 300 million leva for ammunition.

“The thesis that is being spread that Bulgaria did something to its own detriment is not true,” Georgiev said.

He said that the government’s decision risks violating the decisions of the National Assembly on providing military-technical assistance to Ukraine, and said that the suspension of aid would also negatively affect the Bulgarian arms industrry.

Georgiev also noted that the mixed signals also put Bulgaria’s positions in Nato and the common European security architecture on the map.

He said that during Radev’s visits abroad, the Prime Minister had not mentioned his country’s intention to stop aid to Ukraine.

“Neither Chancellor Merz, nor President Macron, nor President Costa, nor President Von der Leyen was told of the Bulgarian government’s intention that we would stop working on the aid line for Ukraine,” Georgiev said.

“This is a significant violation of solidarity. The European solidarity mechanism, which makes a clear distinction between an aggressor and the attacked. Between a country respecting international law and one that treacherously violates it,” he said.

Democratic Bulgaria MP Ivailo Mirchev said that 98 per cent of military aid to Ukraine comes from the Bulgarian defence industry.

Mirchev criticised the government’s contradictory messages regarding military aid to Ukraine.

He said that only days ago Radev said that Bulgaria would follow European policies and interests, and subsequently Stoyanov announced a restriction on the sending of weapons.

“What is produced by the Bulgarian industry is paid for by the Ukrainian side,” Mirchev said.

“In one case, Bulgaria has already received 6.5 billion euro, in the other – hundreds of millions. And the topic is where Bulgaria is in Europe. Europe is already at two speeds and Bulgaria should be at the first speed – where decisions are made, where predictable partners are,” he said.

On June 9, We Continue the Change group leader and former prime minister Nikolai Denkov said that he would table questions in Parliament asking Radev to clarify Bulgaria’s position on military aid to Ukraine.

“And if Bulgaria is attacked by an aggressor, should we surrender immediately so that there can be a ‘just and sustainable peace’?” Denkov said.

(Photo of Radev: government.bg)