site.btaDefence Minister: We Will Not Send Bulgarian Service Persons to Ukraine

In an interview on bTV on Sunday, Defence Minister Todor Tagarev said: "We continue to implement the decision of the National Assembly for assistance to Ukraine, analysing the requirements of the Ukrainian side and our capabilities." In his words, this is not only material assistance but also assistance in training Ukrainian service persons, which will take place either on Bulgarian territory or on the territory of an EU ally. In no case is this about sending Bulgarian service persons to Ukrainian territory, the minister said. 

He also explained that there is no information at the moment that Bulgaria's MiG fighter jets have been sought as military aid. In his words, Ukraine is no longer interested, unless they get surprised in some way. "The maintenance of the MiG fighters costs us tens of millions, we will retire these aircraft in a very small number of years and nobody will need them," the Defence Minister added.  

Asked whether the National Assembly's decision of last December on military assistance to Ukraine had been implemented, Tagarev said that the first article had been implemented (which says exactly what to give), and the seventh article had been implemented to some extent (regarding the refreshing of ammunition). The sixth article, which says to continue to provide military and technical assistance according to the stated needs and Bulgarian capabilities, has not been implemented. There have been repeated statements by the head of State on this, and the caretaker government has acted in accordance with these statements instead of those of the National Assembly, Tagarev added. 

"Bulgaria's capabilities for assistance are not exhausted, the question is what exactly and in what volumes, but I expect much more specific documents on the requests and much more detailed analysis of what exactly is available and we can provide," the minister said. "I guarantee that we can provide additional military and technical assistance," he added. He said that the assistance Bulgaria has already provided was highly appreciated as it was in good technical condition, but what exactly has been provided remains classified information. 

"I intend to withdraw some documents that have already been tabled in the National Assembly, for example the investment programme," he said. Tagarev gave two reasons for this: fistly, he needs to thoroughly familiarise himself with this programme, with the projects included in it and what exactly it is and, secondly, both proposals in the programme are classified. The investment programme features the projects that the Defence Ministry intends to carry out over the next ten years, and their value is considerable: quite a few billion leva, the minister explained. 

Since the document is not yet being considered by MPs, it can be withdrawn, reviewed and resubmitted, he added. Tagarev assured that this would in no way delay the modernization and rearmament of the Army. "Having an investment programme is a good practice, but it is not necessarily a prerequisite for major modernisation projects to start," he said.