The ruling majority, plus the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF) will propose that Bulgaria send Ukraine around 100 armoured fighting vehicles in military aid. The vehicles are from the reserves of the gendarmerie, Democratic Bulgaria MP Ivaylo Mirchev said in an interview with bTV. The vehicles have fallen out of use and have not been out of the warehouses. Judging by the official correspondence between the US and Bulgaria there are indications that in exchange for the delivery of the stored armoured vehicles Bulgaria could “receive American assistance”. The vehicles in question were part of the internal troops during the so-called Revival Process (the forced renaming of Bulgarian Muslims during the communist regime) but were never used. Some will have to undergo repair, Ivaylo Mirchev explained. The initiative has the support of PM Nikolay Denkov, the minister of defence, the minister of the interior and the parliamentary defence committee, Ivaylo Mirchev said. He added that, in the past 16 months, Ukraine has purchased EUR 2.5 billion worth of weapons from Bulgaria, with this sum expected to reach EUR 3.5 billion by the end of the year. 

The Ministry of Interior said that it is ready to review the equipment that has fallen out of use and to draw up a list of resources that could be made available without affecting the ministry‘s activities. The Interior Ministry added that it would provide the National Assembly with the information when it is ready.