site.btaParliament Chair: Bulgaria Supports EU Sanctions Against Russia, They Are Powerful Response to Russian Aggression in Ukraine

Bulgaria supports all twelve EU packages of sanctions imposed on Russia and believes that they remain one of the most powerful tools to increase pressure on Russia in response to its illegal military aggression against Ukraine, Parliament Chair Rosen Zhelyazkov said during a meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, quoted in a press release of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

The European Union must maintain its united and firm response in solidarity with Ukraine, Zhelyazkov stressed. Bulgaria calls for increased efforts to prevent the circumvention of sanctions, he added. The common goal is to significantly reduce Moscow's ability to finance its war of aggression, the parliament chair said.

Russia must be held accountable for its crimes against the people of Ukraine, he noted. In this regard, Bulgaria is a firm advocate of the fight against impunity and believes that the work of the International Criminal Court is valuable as an integral part of the international legal order, he added.

Bulgaria strongly supports the further development of the "solidarity corridors" aimed at facilitating food exports from Ukraine through various land and sea routes, Zhelyazkov said. "We condemn the ongoing Russian attacks against Ukrainian port infrastructure, which aim to disrupt Ukrainian grain and food exports in the long term," he noted, specifying that this will undoubtedly aggravate the current food supply crisis.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed gratitude for the military-technical, humanitarian and political support of friendly Bulgaria. Ukraine highly appreciates all the decisions of the Bulgarian Parliament, Shmyhal said and noted that every assistance is vital for the freedom and democratic values of Ukraine and the whole of Europe. He assured the Bulgarian MPs that Ukraine feels the support of its friendly countries and it helps it to continue defending its right to develop as a democratic and free country.

The continued designation by Russia of a temporary warning zone in the Black Sea, which includes parts of the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone, is perceived as a serious threat to Bulgaria's national security and economic interests, and to freedom of navigation, Zhelyazkov said. He recalled that the main priority of Ukraine's reconstruction process, set out in the Growth Plan of Ukraine for the period 2024-2027, is the judiciary reform and the fight against corruption and money laundering. Bulgaria is ready to share its experience with Ukraine, given the country's consistent reform efforts in these areas over the past decades, Zhelyazkov said.

Bulgaria categorically condemns Russia's intention to hold illegitimate "presidential elections in 2024" in the illegally annexed Crimea and in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, which constitutes another serious violation of international law, including the UN Charter, Zhelyazkov said.

Head of the National Assembly's delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Daniel Mitov said at the meeting that Bulgaria is grateful to Ukraine and its army for safeguarding European democratic values in addition to its independence and territorial integrity. He stressed that Bulgaria's task is to continue supporting the country, including by redirecting frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's post-war reconstruction. Mitov assured that Bulgaria will continue to be among Ukraine's most active partners on the path to EU and NATO membership.

Chairman of the Group for Friendship with Ukraine Ivaylo Mirchev pointed out that the Euro-Atlantic majority in the Bulgarian Parliament will do its best to continue supporting Ukraine. "We are at an advanced stage of preparing legislation that would allow many Russian assets in Bulgaria to be frozen and redirected to finance Ukraine's reconstruction," he added.

Head of the Bulgarian delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Stanislav Anastasov expressed gratitude to Ukraine for helping Bulgaria to get rid of all historical myths about Russia by fighting for freedom against the Russian aggressor. "Count on our support, including in our efforts to freeze Russia's voting rights in the OSCE," he said.