“We call on the Russian Federation to show respect for the conscious foreign policy choice of the Republic of Bulgaria for NATO membership and the decisions of the Bulgarian Constitutional Court,” said in a statement the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Russia's Foreign Ministry: NATO forces Must be Withdrawn from Bulgaria and Romania

“We call on the Russian Federation to remain engaged in a constructive dialogue with NATO member states in the NATO-Russia Council, aimed at the future of a more united and secure Europe based on the rule of law and strict implementation of international law commitments,” stated our foreign ministry.

Bulgarian PM: Bulgaria is a Sovereign State. Russia should De-Escalate

The statement states that the national territories of NATO member states are territories of the Alliance. The armed forces of the member countries are also NATO armed forces. This stems from the Washington Treaty establishing NATO, which has been ratified by all member states. The Washington Treaty does not provide for a “second category” of member states for which collective defense should be applied selectively or to a limited extent.

Bulgarian President: Russia's Insistence on the Withdrawal of NATO forces from Bulgaria is Unacceptable and Pointless

In this context, according to Decision No. 1 of the Constitutional Court of Bulgaria of February 4, 2003, “the troops of a political or military union of member states of that union or of allied states, ratified, promulgated and entered into force for the Republic of Bulgaria a contract of a political or military nature, are not foreign troops within the meaning of Article 84, item 11 of the Constitution if their passage or residence through the territory of the country is related to the performance of allied obligations.”

Ministry of Defense: Bulgaria is a Sovereign State that Decides its Domestic and Foreign Policy

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also emphasizes that the current crisis in the security architecture in Europe, as well as the crisis in and around Ukraine, should be resolved through diplomatic means and through dialogue.

/BTA

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