site.btaBulgarian Parliamentary Groups React to Downing of Russian Warplane by Turkey

Bulgarian Parliamentary Groups React to Downing of Russian Warplane by Turkey

Sofia, November 25 (BTA) - The parliamentary forces Wednesday came out with statements concerning the Russian warplane that was shot down by a Turkish F-16 jet near the Turkey-Syria border on Tuesday morning.

BSP-Left Bulgaria

Yanaki Stoilov read out a statement in Parliament stating that BSP-Left Bulgaria expects an independent international investigation into the circumstances of the Russian warplane's downing. "We firmly uphold the principle of territorial integrity and inviolability of frontiers both in Europe and in the other regions. However, what happened on Tuesday requires a clear international reaction," Stoilov said.

In his words, if there are people responsible for the shooting of the pilots, who escaped from the falling plane, they should be taken to court. "Every human life is important, regardless of whether [the person is] in Paris, Africa, Asia or somewhere else. For us, every human life is above all political deals and speculations," Stoilov noted.

Tuesday's event raises the question whether the international community can come together against the terrorist threat, he went on to say. He called for the formulation of a Bulgarian national position backed by Parliament, the Government and the head of State, because appeals for Euro-Atlantic solidarity alone cannot solve the problem facing the world and Europe.

Movement for Rights and Freedoms

Addressing the National Assembly, Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) leader Lyutvi Mestan called for ever more active dialogue between the NATO member countries and EU Member States on elaborating a common policy and specific action against the Islamic State's expansion and the growing terrorist aggression. The MRF backs the Alliance's call for de-escalation of the Russian-Turkish relations and return to the political dialogue.

The participation in military actions against ISIS of whichever country cannot have the accompanying goal of protecting the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Mestan underscored. In his words, this regime cannot be part of the actions against ISIS because it is precisely Assad's regime and the Islamic State that are the main reason for the miiltary conflict in the Middle East, which led to the huge refugee crisis.

According to the MRF, it is an undeniable fact that in the last month the Russian military aviation has violated the Turkish airspace on multiple occasions. Given that Turkey is a NATO member country, such a violation equals a violation of the Alliance's air space and sovereignty, Mestan said.

Ataka

Ataka MPs said they have submitted to the Parliament's Secretarial Office a draft statement "to condemn the military aggression of the Republic of Turkey against the Russian Federation".

The draft statement says that "At a time when more and more European countries support the anti-terrorist coalition against the Islamic State headed by Russia, the Republic of Turkey perpetrated a barbarian military provocation destroying a Russian Su-24 fighter in the airspace of the Syrian Arab Republic. By downing the fighter of the anti-terrorist coalition, Turkey pledged its support for the Islamic State".

Ataka urges Parliament and the Government to sharply condemn the military attack against a Russian military aircraft carrying out missions aimed against the Islamic State terrorist organization, via diplomatic ways at all international political levels.

GERB

Speaking in the corridors of Parliament, GERB floor leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov urged the parliamentary groups to exercise caution and be more precise in their statements vis-a-vis the incident with the downed Russian fighter. "We should not take sides. Let us hope that there is understanding and reason between Russia and Turkey about all that is happening," Tsvetanov said. In his opinion, Bulgaria must not take up an aggressive position or take sides. Tsvetanov urged for balance and caution. He said that at the moment the global challenge is the fight against terror so that it is hoped that Turkey and Russia will find a way to solve the situation.

Tsvetanov said that a joint statement of Parliament on the case could be considered but at this stage it would be impossible to reach agreement on such a document given the different positions of the political forces, so that GERB's parliamentary group is acting with restraint.