site.btaUPDATED Parliament Overrides Presidential Veto on Sending Armoured Vehicles to Ukraine

Parliament Friday overrode a presidential veto on sending armoured vehicles to Ukraine as aid. The legislature reconfirmed, in a 162-55 votes with no abstentions, the ratification of an agreement between the Defence Ministries of Bulgaria and Ukraine for the provision of aid.

The agreement was signed in Sofia on August 8 and in Kyiv on November 13.

President Rumen Radev vetoed it on December 4.

The veto was overridden on 64 votes from GERB-UDF, 59 from Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria and 34 from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms. 

Vazrazhdane (35 MPs) voted in favour of the veto as did 20 of BSP for Bulgaria and five of There Is Such a People. 

Following is a takeaway from the debate:

Ivan Chenchev (BSP for Bulgaria) said that Bulgaria needs these machines. You are trying hard to look good in the eyes of your masters. Defence Minister Todor Tagarev must come down.

Valentin Radev (GERB-UDF): Interior Ministry experts confirm that these vehicles have become redundant in Bulgaria. Bulgaria protects its national security better by helping Ukraine.

Ivaylo Mirchev (Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria): The armoured vehicles in question are no longer used on the Bulgarian border and there is an express report about it by Border Police.

Kostadin Kostadinov (Vazrazhdane): It is very humiliating that in addition to giving equipment to Ukraine free of charge, we are also providing the transport for it.

Tensions in the debating chamber flared up during Kostadinov's speech. MP Manol Peykov of CC-DB, who is known for his campaigns for raising funds and other support for Ukraine, heckled from his seat, leading to a brawl with Vazrazhdane deputies. The presiding Parliament Deputy Chair, Rossitsa Kirova, announced a short break and the MPs were better behaved after that. 

Georgi Svilenski (BSP for Bulgaria): Some people in the debating chamber must be under the influence. It is wrong to allow people under the influence to vote for embroiling Bulgaria in a war, The sitting should have been suspended.