Bulgaria’s parliament on Friday approved a list of weapons that will be sent to Ukraine as aid for the first time since the full-scale Russian invasion, Reuters reported.
“The weapons list is classified, but government officials said Sofia will send mainly light weapons and ammunition,” the report said.
A total of 148 deputies from the 240-member parliament voted in favor of sending aid Friday, while the Socialists and the pro-Russian Revival Party voted against it.
Acting Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said Bulgaria, a NATO member, could not afford to send its Russian-made surface-to-air missile systems or the MiG-19 and Su-25 fighters Kiev needs.
“My approach was conservative because I need to ensure Bulgaria’s defense capability. The aid is fully in line with Ukraine’s priorities, but we are not sending S-300 systems or MiG-29 or Su-25 aircraft,” Stoyanov told Nova TV in a commentary.
Bulgaria has reportedly not previously sent weapons to Ukraine, but its arms manufacturers have seen a sharp increase in exports, a November report from the Bulgarian Industrial Association showed. In August, the Ministry of Economy approved arms export deals worth more than 1 billion leva ($540.22 million), most of which were destined for Poland, one of the key hubs for sending weapons to Ukraine.
According to Reuters, Bulgaria was one of the few EU countries that did not send aid to Ukraine after the Russia-friendly Socialist Party, a coalition partner in the previous government, blocked a previous proposal in May.
