site.bta At Ukraine's Peace Formula Conference, PM Denkov Says War Crimes Must Be Punished, Condemns Crimes against Identity

At a conference held in Kyiv Monday as part of Ukraine's Peace Formula, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov said it is unacceptable to borders to be changed by brute force and that war crimes must be punished. "Bulgaria condemns the aggressor, the violations of international law, the atrocities and crimes and against humanity," said the Bulgarian government leader. 

He said that Bulgaria respects the Ukrainians who are fighting for their freedom and protecting the European ideal for democracy, and won't forget those who gave their life for the sovereignty of their homeland

He expressed Bulgaria's firm position in support of universal human rights, including the right of the citizens of Ukraine to live peacefully and freely in peace.

The Prime Minister condemned the crimes against identity in the Russian-occupied territories: denial of the right to mother tongue, rewriting of history through monuments and textbooks, renaming of institutions, seizure of church properties and religious persecution. "The aggressor is trying to occupy not only territory but minds," Denkov said.

He said that Bulgaria supports Ukraine, "not because it stands between us and a potential greedy invader, but because it is our moral obligation". "We believe that every child, in every country, has the right to be free from the trauma of war. "To be raised by their parents and not kidnapped to a foreign country and suffer crimes against their ancestry, identity and the history of their people," Denkov said.

"Bulgaria stands by Ukraine and will do so as long as necessary," he concluded.