site.btaUPDATED Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria Issues Declaration on Third Anniversary of Ukraine War

The Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB) has issued a declaration on the third anniversary of the start of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine. The declaration was read at Friday's plenary sitting of the National Assembly by MP Yavor Bozhankov.

"The Kremlin spokesman said on February 15, 2022: 'Only crazy immoral people can assume that Russia intends to attack Ukraine'. Nine days later, the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began," Bozhankov pointed out. He specified that "Ukraine is not the first victim," adding that Russia also attacked Georgia in 2008 under the pretext of protecting the Russian-speaking minority. The actual goal, however, was the frustrate Georgia's European integration and NATO membership. Next, Crimea was annexed in 2014."

"It is clear today that the Kremlin's word and signature are completely worthless and Ukraine's demilitarization has made the present-day possible," Bozhankov commented.

"In the space of three days, the special military operation turned into full-scale war and escalated to war crime in Bucha, the involvement of Kadyrov's detachment known for their blood thirst and brutality and of North Korean soldiers," he pointed out.

"The Russian Federation targets a single thing: to destroy Ukraine as a sovereign state, to destabilize the EU and to wreck NATO's unity. This time, however, Putin collided with the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people, ready to sacrifice itself for its independence, as well as the West's determination to support it in its fight to freedom," the MP said further. 

In his words, "Ukraine has suffered 41,000 civilian casualties, and one third of its population, including over two million children, need humanitarian assistance. The halting of NATO's enlargement ended up with NATO's enlargement to Sweden and Finland," the declaration reads.

Bozhankov also noted the BGN 8.7 billion aid provided by Bulgaria. "During the three years before the war, this country's private industry exported some BGN 1.5 billion worth of military output. Three years after the war broke out, this export increased to BGN 3.7 billion, and for 2025 alone the industry reported exports of BGN 5 billion," the CC-DB lawmaker said.

"Bulgaria, however, is facing increasing risks. In recent days Russia made a bid for the waiver of Article 5 [of the North Atlantic Treaty] for the countries of Eastern Europe regarding NATO's collective defence, and this included our country, too, and shows Russia's intention to restore its interests within the borders of the former Soviet Union. Against this background, [GERB leader Boyko] Borissov is switching his rhetoric at the speed of light, and [President] Rumen Radev is using the Consultative Council for National Security for populist goals, while the tangible risks confronting Bulgaria and commented only en passant to the media, with the President repeating the talking points of the Kremlin regime word for word," Bozhankov commented.

"In this sense, the freedom we enjoy today - a freedom of movement, a common market, being part of the family of European peoples - all this is under a direct threat," he warned. In his words, Bulgaria's civilizational choice will be put to a test in the coming months. "Lasting peace is in our national interests, and such peace can only be built on the truth that Ukraine is a victim and this conflict cannot possibly be settled without it and without Europe," the MP emphasized. He recalled that the partition of Poland between Hitler and Stalin ushered in Europe's darkest hours. 

"We will be working for Bulgaria's active role in the all-European security and defence system, which begins without unwavering position of European unity. We stand firmly behind Ukraine and its capability to resist the Russian aggressor. We will also stand by Bulgaria's EU and NATO membership as a national record of success and any attempt to desecrate them will meet with our firm opposition," the MP said further.

Commenting on the declaration, Tsoncho Ganev MP of Vazrazhdane said that "Russia is no longer an aggressor. That's the official position of their [CC-DB's] mentors in the US."