The plan to move about 100 armored personnel carriers from Bulgaria to Ukraine hit a snag because Sofia and Kyiv could not settle who should pay for the transport. This update comes from the Euroactive portal.
Bulgarian lawmakers approved a decision on these vehicles more than three months earlier, and a supply agreement with Ukraine followed. The fleet consists of armored personnel carriers built decades ago in the USSR era. The stock remains in Bulgarian Ministry of Internal Affairs warehouses and has not yet been deployed.
Defense Minister Todor Tagarev said the holdup stemmed from Sofia wanting to confirm whether NATO partners would cover transport costs. He also noted that moving hundreds of armored units is not a simple transport operation because it requires coordinating a large rail network.
Parliament members have criticized the Defense Ministry for the pace of its actions in this matter.
Members of the political bloc We Continue the Change in Power argued that Bulgaria is capable of offering substantial assistance to Ukraine, but the process is slowed by what they described as less-than-ideal management within the defense ministry. Ivaylo Mirchev, a deputy from the Democratic Bulgaria coalition, spoke on the issue during a recent session.
On November 23, 2023, the Bulgarian Parliament gave initial approval for supplying armored personnel carriers to Kyiv.
In December, Bulgarian MPs debated aid to Kyiv and discussed questions about how the support would be organized and financed.
There has been prior reporting from the United States noting that the BTR-60s intended for Ukraine faced vulnerability against small arms fire, underscoring the debates about how these assets would be used and maintained in service.