site.btaParliament Rejects Motion for Reconsidering Sanctions against Russia

Parliament Rejects Motion for Reconsidering Sanctions against Russia

Sofia, October 7 (BTA) - The National Assembly rejected Wednesday a draft decision to reconsider EU sanctions against the Russian Federation in relation to the conflict in Ukraine. The motion, made by the Bulgarian Socialist Party - Left Bulgaria, was supported by 47 MPs, while 52 were against and 31 abstained.

The motion was supported by the BSP, the Patriotic Front, Ataka and ABV. GERB, the Reformist Bloc, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms and Bulgarian Democratic Centre voted against it and abstained.

The draft decision provided for Parliament to motion that the Council of Ministers draw up a plan for stage-by-stage lifting of the EU sanctions, which was to be submitted and approved by the EU Foreign Affairs Council. The left also suggested that Parliament should declare itself against the expansion of the sanctions against Russia and the imposition of counter-sanctions on the part of Russia. The draft also appealed for immediate lifting of the ban on MPs from the Duma and the Federation Council of Russia to travel in EU in order to ease inter-parliamentary dialogue.