Parliament ratified in a closed session the memorandum with US, concerning the technical and financial assistance in the destruction of Bulgaria's SS-23 missiles. All of the MPs from the United Democratic Forces and the Movement for Rights and Freedom voted in favor of the document, three from the ruling Simeon II National Movement abstained, nine MPs from the leftist Bulgarian Socialist Party voted against and sixteen other MPs from the party abstained. MPs commented that the missiles destruction will cost some USD 5 M. Defense Minister Svinarov did not say, though, what is the sum, agreed in the memorandum that will be granted by the United States for the destruction. The destruction will take place under the safest and most ecological method, Defense Minister Svinarov pinpointed again after Parliament ratified the memorandum. Under the memorandum, main executor will be the American company Controlled Demolition, Inc, the Bulgarian subcontractors are still to be selected. The memorandum was signed on May 31 by Defense Minister Nikolay Svinarov and the US ambassador to Bulgaria James Pardew. Bulgaria must destroy its SS-23 missiles by October 30, 2002, according to a special declaration, approved by Parliament on December 19, 2001. The Bulgarian missiles SS-23 are the last from this type in the world.