Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov stated that Bulgaria cannot join the coalition of those who wish for Ukraine until lasting peace is achieved:
"The Prime Minister said that Bulgaria is not participating for the clear reason - at the moment there is only one expressed desire to create such a coalition. There is no document on the basis, nor anything. Bulgaria has not signed any documents, they have not been presented to our country, so this is the position of Bulgaria, which the Prime Minister expressed. Too many initiatives have been launched with the same focus. Why did Bulgaria find itself isolated? Bulgaria participates in all other initiatives. I see no reason for concern in this direction".
The Minister explained that this is an initiative that countries can join at any time.
During the hearing in the parliamentary Defense Committee, the Minister specified that Bulgaria has not changed its course and is "looking west".
He was responding to a question from the deputy from the Bulgarian Democratic Party Ivaylo Mirchev, who stated:
"We are much more concerned with serving Russian oligarchs and protecting corporate interests so that they are not put in front of European sanctions, instead of looking towards Europe and being at the core of European countries. This means only one thing, and that is isolation".
And the MP from "Continuing the Change" Radoslav Ribarski added:
"There are no separate formats. Absolutely all formats concern the collective defense of Europe, of the European Union, and in this way we impose self-isolation on ourselves. We are turning into a coalition of the "indifferent".