Britons living in Bulgaria. Guide to Bulgaria, Sofia and Varna

BULGARIA


A subsequent parliamentary investigation, completed in February 1999, reached the same conclusion regarding the illegality of the shipment. ARMS EXPORTS TO HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSERSGiven Bulgaria’s longstanding reputation as a ready source of weapons for all, no questions asked, it is not surprising that many of the arms deals linked to Bulgaria are particularly troubling from a human rights perspective. Chris Gordon, “Eastern Europe Aid Bolsters UNITA,” Mail and Guardian (Johannesburg), distributed by Africa News Online, January 15, 1999. He said that some of the crates—whose contents he saw—contained assault rifles and rocket launchers. Hristo Stanimirov, Chief of Staff, Defense Economy Department, Ministry of Defense, and Col. Hristo Stanimirov, Chief of Staff, Defense Economy Department, Ministry of Defense, Sofia, February 9, 1999.246 The government of Angola has repeatedly accused Zambia of serving as a country of transshipment to UNITA forces. In September 1998 UNICOI raised concerns about allegations that two private Bulgarian airlines were involved in weapons deliveries to those forces.5 As of March 1999, Bulgaria had not replied to the U.N. Monitors Accuse Sierra Leone Peacekeepers of Killings,” New York Times, February 12, 1999. Order in Council implemented the international embargo by banning British citizens from supplying arms to anyone “in or connected with” Sierra Leone without a license issued by the government. Register of Conventional Arms.32 Bonner, “New Weapons Sales.”33 At least four rebel groups were active in 1998. Security Council Resolution 976 was passed in February 1995. Security Council, including the arms embargo on...Angola [sic]....”240Subsequent revelations cast doubt on the truth of such blanket denials. See, for example, Times of Zambia, January 21, 1999, in Reuters Business Briefing, January 22, 1999, and Richard Waddington, “Angola Accuses Five African States of Aiding UNITA,” Reuters, January 23, 1999. These reports expanded on allegations first made in April 1995 by Robin Cook, then the United Kingdom’s shadow foreign affairs minister. Venelin Velikov, Deputy Director, National Service for Combating Organized Crime, Ministry of Interior, Sofia, February 8, 1999; and with Plamen Radonov, Deputy Defense Minister for Logistics and Acquisition, Ministry of Defense, and Col.