An open letter calling on the Bulgarian authorities to strongly support Ukraine and oppose Russian aggression gathered 17,000 signatures.
This was reported by Novitine.
One of the initiators of the petition, writer Zahari Karabashliev, confirmed to Bulgarian National Radio that the petition has been closed. The initiative began with 168 individuals who wanted to clearly state Bulgaria's position on the Russo-Ukrainian war.
Karabashliev described the petition as a grassroots initiative and noted that the initial group of signatories was small, and they knew each other. According to him, Bulgaria must define its position in the conflict, where one country has invaded another.
Writer and translator Zdravka Evtimova, who signed the petition, explained that her reasons were deeply emotional. In this way, she expressed her protest against the war, the destruction, and the suffering caused to Ukraine.
Karabashliev emphasized that Bulgaria’s position is not only about Ukraine but also about the country's self-determination.
He said, "the war is straightforward: a powerful Russia has invaded a much smaller Ukraine, making one side the aggressor and the other a victim. Ukraine has spent three years fighting to defend its borders, and only the aggressor can stop the war. If the victim stops resisting, he warned, then the aggressor wins"
Karabashliev also criticized Bulgarian President Rumen Radev’s stance on the conflict, questioning how he would react if a similar scenario unfolded in Bulgaria, with an external force attempting to claim Bulgarian territory.
