SOFIA (Reuters) – Bulgaria will send its first military aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion after parliament on Friday approved a list of arms drawn up by the interim government.
It had been one of the few EU countries not to send aid after the Russia-friendly Socialist party, a coalition partner in the previous government, blocked a previous proposal in May.
The list of arms is classified, but government officials have said Sofia would mainly send light weaponry and ammunition.
Caretaker defence minister Dimitar Stoyanov said Bulgaria, a NATO member, could not afford to send its Russian-made anti-aircraft missile systems or MIG-19 and SU-25 fighter jets, which Kyiv wants.
“My approach has been conservative, because I need to ensure the defence capabilities of Bulgaria. The aid is fully in line with Ukraine’s priorities, but we are not sending S-300 systems, nor MIG-29 or SU-25 aircraft,” Stoyanov told Nova TV on Friday.
While Bulgaria has not been sending arms to Ukraine, its arms manufacturers have seen a surge in exports, a report by the Bulgarian Industrial Association showed in November.
In August, the economy ministry approved arms export deals worth more than 1 billion levs ($540.22 million), most of which were destined for Poland – one of the key hubs for sending weapons to Ukraine.
A total of 148 lawmakers from the 240-seat parliament voted to send the aid on Friday, with the Socialists and the pro-Russian Revival party voting against.
($1 = 1.8511 leva)
(Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
