Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said on Dec. 4 that he had vetoed Bulgaria's agreement with Kyiv to provide Ukraine with 100 armored vehicles, returning the deal to the parliament, the Bulgarian news portal Novinite reported.
Radev has repeatedly argued against military assistance for Kyiv and has been accused of taking a pro-Moscow stance. His position has put him at odds with Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov's pro-Ukrainian government.
The agreement, signed between the Bulgarian Interior Ministry and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry in Sofia on Aug. 8 and in Kyiv on Nov. 13, was finally ratified by the Bulgarian parliament on Nov. 22.
It provides for the supply of 100 older armored vehicles from the Interior Ministry's stocks together with armaments and spare parts, free of charge.
Denkov believes that the parliament will overcome Radev's veto. Bulgaria's legislature has the right to override the veto and send the agreement further without any changes by a simple majority vote.
"This veto will be overcome, so I don't see anything to comment on," the prime minister said.
The president justified his opposition by underscoring potential domestic needs for the vehicles. He said they could be used for protecting Bulgaria's borders or for assisting citizens during disasters in remote areas.
The parliamentary defense committee approved the agreement with a comment that the vehicles are no longer needed at home and could, therefore, be supplied to Ukraine.
Asami Terajima
