Bulgaria is ready to react at any time and protect the rights of Bulgarians in Ukraine
13 February 2015 News
The Bulgarian state has never lost track of the events in Ukraine and the situation of the Bulgarians there has always been of particular importance to us. The present conflict makes us follow the developments even more closely and we are ready to react at any time and protect the rights of our compatriots there, Minister Daniel Mitov said at today’s meeting with Anton Kisse, Chairman of the Association of Bulgarians in Ukraine and MP at the Verkhovna Rada.
Bulgaria is applying all existing mechanisms in that direction by working actively on both bilateral level with the Ukrainian authorities and within the framework of the European Union. Minister Mitov emphasized that the conclusions adopted at the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council meeting on January 29 a text calling upon Ukraine to abide by the rights of minorities was adopted at a motion from Bulgaria.
We expect the Ukrainian authorities to abide by the principle of proportional mobilization, added Minister Mitov. He assured his guest that this position has been upheld and will be declared again at his forthcoming meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.
For his part, Anton Kisse expressed the gratitude of the Bulgarians in Ukraine that they can feel the moral support of Bulgaria in such difficult times and are in constant contact with both the embassy in Kiev and the Consulate General in Odessa, as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Anton Kisse said the assertions that representatives of the Bulgarian community in Ukraine are supporting separatist actions are pure speculation. "We are loyal citizens of Ukraine and have to live with both its successes and problems," he said, adding that there are no grounds to speak of a widespread desire of Bulgarians in Ukraine to leave the country.
Foreign Minister Mitov informed Anton Kisse about the measures undertaken by the Foreign Ministry with regard to the easier issuance of visas for the Bulgarians in Ukraine, as well as about the preparations to send humanitarian aid to the areas most seriously hit by the fighting.
The humanitarian aid was the subject of subsequent talks between Anton Kisse, Deputy Foreign Minister Katya Todorova and Bulgarian Red Cross President Hristo Grigorov. The purpose of the meeting was to decide on the form and routes to provide the aid for Bulgarian community in the most affected regions of Ukraine through the Bulgarian Red Cross.The first delivery, including food, medicines, bandages and others, will be delivered to Donbas, where the situation is most complicated. It will be received by the Association of Bulgarians in Ukraine, chaired by Anton Kisse. The cooperation of the Ukrainian authorities and the Ukrainian Red Cross will be sought for the safe passage of the convoy on the territory of Ukraine and in areas controlled by separatists.
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