Parliament gives government one month to present draft resolution on rendering military assistance to Ukraine

At its sitting on Thursday, the National Assembly voted, 175-49 with one abstention, to give the Council of Ministers one month to table in Parliament a draft resolution on rendering military and military-technical assistance to Ukraine. The assistance will be Bulgaria's contribution to the common efforts of the international community to support the victims of the aggression, taking into consideration this country's capabilities and guaranteeing the population's security and defence.

The decision was supported by GERB-UDF, Continue the Change, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), Democratic Bulgaria, and Bulgarian Rise. Against were the MPs of BSP for Bulgaria and Vazrazhdane.

Under the decision, the Council of Ministers also has one month to hold negotiations with the governments and allies in NATO on the acquisition, provision or deployment of capacity that replaces or strengthens the country's defence capabilities, which would allow an accelerated release of the outdated Soviet arms and equipment.

The Council of Ministers has until November 10 to undertake all necessary actions on declaring Bulgaria's readiness to contribute to the EU's mission in support of Ukraine. Within the EU's common efforts, the Cabinet has to identify and propose to Parliament a package of measures for interacting with and supporting Ukraine in the restoration of its economy, infrastructure, and energy sector.

The Government has to support Ukraine's case filed against Russia in the European Court of Human Rights and join Ukraine's case against the Russian Federation before the International Court of Justice. Also, the Council of Ministers has to support the international community's efforts to investigate the war crimes committed by the Russian army on Ukrainian territory, the MPs decided.