Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev has sought approval from the National Assembly to sign a security cooperation agreement with Ukraine. His request was made through a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Natalia Kiselova, and distributed to all parliamentary groups, as confirmed by a press release from the Council of Ministers.
The proposed agreement, with a ten-year duration, is expected to be signed during the European Council meeting in Brussels on December 19, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will also be present. Glavchev emphasized that the caretaker government, while responsible for leading Bulgaria’s domestic and foreign policy, operates under limited powers due to its interim nature. He added that the agreement aligns with political commitments previously approved by the National Assembly.
Currently, Bulgaria is one of six EU member states, alongside Austria, Cyprus, Malta, Slovakia, and Hungary, that has not yet signed such an agreement with Ukraine. Glavchev underscored the importance of parliamentary authorization, citing constitutional and legal precedents that require the National Assembly’s mandate for actions involving significant long-term political commitments.
Reactions to the proposal have been divided among Bulgaria’s political parties. The “DPS – New Beginning” party praised the initiative, with leader Delyan Peevski commending Glavchev for what he described as a historic step in aligning Bulgaria’s security policy with its European partners.
In contrast, the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP and “Revival” parties strongly opposed the move, accusing the caretaker government of bypassing parliamentary authority. Borislav Gutsanov of the BSP criticized the agreement, asserting that it risks escalating Bulgaria’s involvement in military conflict and describing the proposal as bordering on “national betrayal.” Such rhetoric, framing support for Ukraine as potentially provoking direct confrontation with Russia, has been a consistent narrative among pro-Russian factions.
Despite the opposition, Bulgaria has consistently provided military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine since the onset of the conflict. This stance was reaffirmed earlier in February by then-Speaker of Parliament Rosen Zhelyazkov from GERB, who expressed Bulgaria‘s unwavering support for Ukraine during a speech in the Ukrainian Rada.
Glavchev’s letter outlined that the agreement does not fall under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and adheres to political decisions previously sanctioned by the National Assembly. It also detailed constitutional provisions that define the caretaker government’s authority, which, although limited, permits it to manage current domestic and foreign policy issues. This framework, as Glavchev argued, underscores the necessity of parliamentary backing for significant agreements such as this.
Sources:
Radio Free Europe Bulgaria
Novini.bg
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Publish date : 2024-12-18 06:29:00
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The post Divided Reactions in Bulgaria’s Parliament Over Proposed Agreement with Ukraine – Novinite.com first appeared on Love Europe.
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Publish date : 2024-12-18 14:40:43
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