Bulgaria will consider the transfer of about 100 armored personnel carriers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs warehouses to Ukraine as defense assistance.

Ivaylo Mirchev, the MP from the We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria coalition, stated this.

Mirchev shared that the armored personnel carriers were produced in the 1960s and 1970s, followed by the vehicle purchase by internal troops.

It was noted that these armored vehicles were never used for their intended purpose, and some of them were technically defective.

With this transfer, Bulgarian politicians expect to receive armored vehicle replacements from the United States.

“Our goal is that after we transfer these 100 or so armored personnel carriers, we will get American help in strengthening our defense capabilities. We hope that the December 2022 offer is still valid. Negotiations are ongoing,” Mirchev said.

Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov, Ministers of Internal Affairs and Defense, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense Hristo Gadjev, and Leader of the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (partner of We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria in the pro-government coalition) Boyko Borisov are involved in the implementation of the initiative.

It is planned that the draft decision will be submitted to the parliament and supported by the majority represented by Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria, We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria, and Movement for Rights and Freedoms.

Presumably, the announcement regards the transfer of outdated Soviet BTR-60 armored personnel carriers, which started to be manufactured in the 1960s.

As a replacement, Bulgaria could potentially receive M1117 Armored Security Vehicles from the United States.

Back in 2007, Bulgaria concluded an agreement with Textron Land Systems for the purchase of M1117 Armored Security Vehicles.

In November 2022, it was announced that the United States will provide Ukraine with M1117 Armored Security Vehicles.