The Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) has failed to pass a law on the denouncement of the agreement between the Bulgarian government, executive authorities of Georgia and the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers on a joint use of the railway ferry service between the ports of Varna in Bulgaria, Poti/Batumi in Georgia and Illichivsk in Ukraine.

Speaking in the parliament, Deputy Foreign Minister Kostiantyn Yeliseyev said that the denunciation is due to the need to protect the economic interests of Ukraine and to ensure effective cooperation between Ukraine, Bulgaria and Georgia in the sphere of international transportation on the basis of existing international agreements between these states.

"Now we see Bulgaria is trying to oust Ukraine from the market (market for international transportation) and to enter into separate agreements with the Georgian side. Thus, by denunciation we could provide Ukraine with the opportunity to cooperate both with Georgia, and Bulgaria in the sphere of cargo transportation on the basis of bilateral agreements,” the diplomat said.

He reminded that Ukraine has already brokered four bilateral deals in the area of cargo transportation with Georgia and the same number with Bulgaria.