All Bulgarian Political Parties, except Vazrazhdane, Condemned the Recognition of DPR and LPR

All parliamentary parties, except Vazrazhdane, condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics of Ukraine as independent states. A joint declaration of the National Assembly was not reached, and the parties of the ruling coalition failed to gather for such a meeting.

Putin Recognizes the Donetsk and Luhansk Republics as Independent States

The co-chairman of "Democratic Bulgaria" Hristo Ivanov read a joint declaration on behalf of the parties "We Continue the Change", "There Is Suck a People" and "Democratic Bulgaria".

Although the deputies specifically went on a 30-minute break to write a joint declaration on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Bulgarian Socialist Party made a separate declaration in the morning, and GERB also issued a separate statement.

Bulgaria Condemns Putin's Recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk

"We condemn Putin's decision to recognize the self-proclaimed regions of eastern Ukraine as independent. This is a gross violation of international law and the Minsk Agreement. We are concerned about Putin's claims that he questions Ukraine's existence as an independent state," said Hristo Ivanov.

He said the government would work with the EU and NATO to enforce the principles of international law and support EU sanctions against Russia.

"We deeply regret that Russia's fault led to the end of the Minsk agreements, which has dramatically reduced the scope for a diplomatic solution to the crisis. We continue to follow with concern what is happening in eastern Ukraine and hope that dialogue and diplomacy will succeed in preventing further escalation of the conflict," the DB co-chair said.