The Bulgarian parliament decided Thursday to extend the mission of the country's unit in Iraq by the end of 2008, the Sofia News Agency reported.
The decision was passed with a 122-17 vote.
The parliament has approved the government's resolution, which envisages the continuing deployment of 155 Bulgarian troops in the humanitarian mission in Iraq until Dec. 31, 2008.
In March 2006, Bulgaria sent 120 soldiers and 35 support personnel to guard a camp for Iranian refugees in Ashraf, 70 km north of Baghdad. The non-combat unit was to stay for a year.
The latest decision of Bulgarian government and parliament will come into force only after the UN Security Council adopts a resolution for extending the mission of the multinational forces in Iraq in response to a request by the Iraqi government.
As a staunch ally of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, Bulgaria has lost 13 soldiers since the beginning of the mission in 2003.
Source: Xinhua
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