Bulgarian Parties Do Not Recognize Crimea's Referendum

Parties in Bulgaria's Parliament have adopted a common stance on the Ukrainian crisis, President Rosen Plevenliev announced.

Ultra-nationalist party Ataka is the only political player to have refrained from the joint position, Plevneliev was quoted as saying by Darknews.bg, immediately after a four-hour-long emergency meeting of the Consultative Council for National Security that took place on Monday.

Bulgaria's energy sector would be most affected by an ongoing crises, the head of state explained.

Talks between political parties and and government and intelligence officials were scheduled after Plevneliev called the Consultative Council for National Security, a panel in which politicians and chiefs of security services meet to discuss urgent issues.

The President, summarizing results from the talks, said that Bulgaria, though taking its national interest into sight, will act as a member of the EU and NATO, and thus supports Ukraine's territorial integrity.

The country deems March 16's referendum in Crimea illegitimate, as it is a violation of international law and cannot be recognized, Plevneliev said.

Bulgaria also backs the signing of the political part of the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine, as well as upcoming adoption of the economic part, after presidential elections are held in that country on May 25.

Regarding risks to energy security that could be posed by EU-based sanctions to Russia, Plevneliev said ways will be sought to diversify supplies.

Interior Minister Tsvetlin Yovchev added that Bulgarian minorities in Ukraine should also be taken into account when shaping the approach toward the Ukrainian standoff.

Ataka's leader, Volen...