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Opposed

Bulgaria

Umbrella state (NATO)

Bulgaria boycotted the TPNW negotiations in 2017 and has consistently voted against the annual UN General Assembly resolutions on the Treaty, including in 2023.

TPNW Status

SIGNATURE
DEPOSIT WITH UNSG
ENTRY INTO FORCE
DECLARATION
TPNW Article 1(1) prohibitions: Compatibility in 2023
(a) Develop, produce, manufacture, acquire Compatible
Test Compatible
Possess or stockpile Compatible
(b) Transfer Compatible
(c) Receive transfer or control Compatible
(d) Use Compatible
Threaten to use Compatible
(e) Assist, encourage or induce Non-compatible
(f) Seek or receive assistance Compatible
(g) Allow stationing, installation, deployment Compatible
TPNW voting and participation
UNGA resolution on TPNW (latest vote) Voted no (2023)
Participated in 2MSP (2023) No
1MSP delegation size (% women) N/A
Adoption of TPNW (7 July 2017) N/A
Participated in TPNW negotiations (2017) No
Negotiation mandate (A/RES/71/258) Voted no
Other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) treaties
Party to an NWFZ No
Party to the NPT Yes (Ratified 1969)
Ratified the CTBT Yes (Ratified 1999, Annex 2 state)
Party to the BWC Yes (Ratified 1972)
Party to the CWC Yes (Ratified 1994)
IAEA safeguards and fissile material
Safeguards agreement Yes (1 May 2009)
TPNW Art 3(2) deadline N/A
Small Quantities Protocol No
Additional Protocol Yes
Enrichment facilities/reprocessing plants No
HEU stocks Cleared
Plutonium stocks No

Latest developments

Bulgaria may sign and ratify or accede to the TPNW, but will have to make changes to its policies and practices to become compliant.

During the high-level segment of the UN General Assembly in September 2023, the President of Bulgaria, Rumen Radev, described his country ‘as a staunch supporter of further strengthening of the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation architecture’. He called for ‘dialogue among nuclear-weapon states on confidence-building’, and criticised Russia’s intention to deploy nuclear weapons to Belarus.1

In August 2023, Bulgaria said that it is ‘convinced that a progressive approach towards nuclear disarmament based on concrete and practical steps is the most feasible avenue’ to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons. It emphasised that such an approach must take into account the security concerns of States.2

Recommendations

  • Bulgaria should renounce the possession and potential use of nuclear weapons on its behalf, and ensure that nuclear weapons do not have a role in its defence posture.

  • Bulgaria should comply with its existing obligation under Article VI of the NPT and pursue negotiations in good faith on nuclear disarmament.

  • Bulgaria should urgently adhere to the TPNW. Until it is in a position to do so, it should welcome the TPNW as a valuable component in the global disarmament and non-proliferation architecture, work with the Treaty's states parties on practical steps towards disarmament, and attend the meetings of states parties as an observer.

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