Bulgarian President Vetoes Donation of APCs to Ukraine

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has vetoed the agreement for the supply of armored personnel carriers to Ukraine, a deal previously approved by the Bulgarian Parliament and signed between the Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria and the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

In an official statement from the presidency, Radev cited a lack of sufficient information among parliament members regarding the donation to Ukraine and an inability to objectively assess the necessity of the provided equipment for Bulgaria.

President Radev emphasized that the approved agreement had neglected the needs of border police, fire departments, and other state entities, stating that the donated armored vehicles could be utilized at the Bulgarian border and during disaster situations. Radev justified his veto by expressing his belief that the safety, health, and lives of Bulgarian citizens should be the top priority.

Referring to recent floods in the town of Tsarevo and the city of Karlovo, located on the Black Sea coast, where the Ministry of Interior utilized Bulgarian Army resources for disaster response, Radev highlighted the need to strengthen, not diminish, the inventory for future frequent flood occurrences.

The agreement for the supply of armored vehicles to Ukraine was signed in Sofia on August 8 and in Kyiv on November 13. The Bulgarian Parliament had approved the deal on November 22 with 131 votes in favor, 49 against, and 1 abstention.

According to the Defense Committee's report, the agreement stipulated that the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior would deliver surplus armored vehicles, spare parts, and the existing ammunition stock to Ukraine.

As per open-source information, the Bulgarian Army currently possesses 20 BTR-60 armored personnel carriers. The BTR-60, a relic from the Soviet era, is a familiar vehicle to Ukrainian forces and can be easily operated by Ukrainian soldiers.