Bulgaria Reaffirms Commitment to EU Sanctions Against Russia

Bulgaria has not intended to stop implementing the EU sanctions imposed on Russia, and the country has not enacted any separate national measures against Moscow beyond those adopted at the European level. This was clarified by Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev in a written response to a question raised by Bozhidar Bozhanov, an MP from the WCC-DB coalition.

The inquiry followed comments by BSP–United Left, a member of the ruling coalition, calling for a review of the sanctions against Russia. In his reply, Georgiev reaffirmed Bulgaria’s position, stating that since the onset of Russian aggression, the country has consistently supported Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. He noted that Bulgaria, along with other EU member states, provides political, military, financial, humanitarian, and diplomatic support to Kyiv. He also referenced the seven parliamentary decisions that have defined Bulgaria's support for Ukraine at the national level.

Georgiev underlined that Bulgaria takes part in EU-level discussions on sanctions against Russia and highlighted the 16 sanctions packages adopted by the Council of the EU since 2014. Each new sanctions proposal is reviewed by Bulgarian institutions to ensure national interests are safeguarded from potential adverse effects.

The Foreign Minister also stressed that Bulgaria cannot unilaterally lift the EU’s restrictive measures, reiterating that the country has not imposed any additional national sanctions on Russia. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a consistent and predictable foreign policy in alignment with the EU, describing loyal cooperation within the bloc as essential.

In response to a separate question from another WCC-DB MP, Georgiev rejected claims that Bulgaria had expressed informal interest in joining the Declaration on Defense Cooperation between Croatia, Kosovo, and Albania. Signed in March in Tirana, the agreement has not been accompanied by any official invitation for Bulgaria to participate, Georgiev confirmed.