In the program "Face to Face" on BTV, former Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov said that he does not agree with the words of Prime Minister Rumen Radev that the society and the president were not notified of the deployment of American tanker planes at Sofia Airport at the beginning of the year.
The law on the passage and residence of foreign troops on the territory of the country clearly regulates the procedure for making decisions. The US note from February requested the deployment of forces of a non-military nature. It is within the powers of the Minister of Defense to make a decision on up to 15 planes and 500 people. I made this decision, I have notified the president, the prime minister and the speaker of the National Assembly by letters that there will be such a deployment of American forces of a non-military nature. We had placed such a notification on the ministry's website, Zapryanov said.
This is about a strategic ally. I do not question the non-military nature that they have declared. During the stay, none of the fears and insinuations that were spreading in the public space happened. We did not enter into war with Iran and did not participate in the operation. Now we have a new moment - the request is for a deployment of a military nature. In this situation, it is not within the powers of the prime minister and the government to make the decision, and the issue will be properly resolved by the National Assembly. We do not have a NATO element, but we have a bilateral element, regulated in the 2006 treaty between Bulgaria and the United States, the former defense minister pointed out.
It is important how the political forces in the National Assembly will vote. GERB will categorically vote positively, he explained.
At Sofia Airport, we have gained enormous experience from the previous deployment, I am convinced that now there will be new lessons in Bezmer, since it is more distant logistically. I am convinced that if we want to have strategic relations with the United States, a positive decision must be made tomorrow. Relations between Bulgaria and the United States are extremely dynamic in terms of rearmament, energy, the derogation of "Lukoil" - if relations continue to develop and deepen, Bulgaria will have great benefits. I hope that "Progressive Bulgaria" and the current government will act with the same understanding, noted Atanas Zapryanov.
These aircraft do not participate in combat missions. There continues to be no direct military risk for our country, the former Minister of Defense assured in connection with the proposal of the Council of Ministers for the National Assembly to decide whether American tanker aircraft should be stationed at the "Bezmer" airbase.