The tensions in the Black Sea are already having a serious impact on transport and cargo insurance, and shipping companies are massively avoiding certain routes due to the risk of new incidents. This was stated by the MP from “Progressive Bulgaria“ Yavor Gechev on the show “Hello, Bulgaria“.
He recalled that the Black Sea region is among the main producers of cereals on a global scale, with Russia taking first place, followed by Ukraine and Bulgaria.
“Our country produces between 7.5 and 9 million tons of wheat per year, about 2 million tons of corn and nearly 1 million tons of sunflower“, Gechev specified, adding that a significant part of these cargoes pass through the Black Sea.
According to him, after the recent incidents, a huge part of the companies have stopped taking out insurance, which is already becoming a serious problem.
Commenting on the attacks against two ships in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, the MP emphasized that the official position of the government and the National Security Advisory Council (NSAC) requires a full investigation of the cases. The aim is to establish the origin of the drones, as both Ukraine and Russia have denied involvement in the attacks. Currently, the search is underway for surfaced debris and the specific damage to the vessels is being analyzed. One ship has remained on the surface, while the remains of the other - which sank and whose real cargo is yet to be clarified - will be examined with underwater drones.
Gechev noted that Bulgaria is entering a period of active grain exports, including to countries in conflict zones. This requires the rapid finding of safe corridors, which will probably pass closer to the territorial waters of Turkey and Bulgaria.
He recalled that at the beginning of the war, corridors were agreed with Turkey, but now a completely new agreement is needed with the participation of all countries with access to the Black Sea. In this regard, the MP made a distinction between territorial waters, which are part of the state territory, and the exclusive economic zone, where Bulgaria has limited rights, mainly related to fishing and energy exploration.
With regard to security, Gechev pointed out that currently no country in the region has the technology to reliably intercept drones at a distance of 200 kilometers, with the effective range of the available protection systems being between 5 and 10 kilometers.
He added that increasing military spending does not automatically lead to peace and called for the activation of diplomatic channels. Although there is no immediate threat of military action on Bulgarian territory, the risk of drones accidentally landing remains real.
The MP also assured that no escalation is expected in the supply of raw materials for the “Lukoil“ refinery and there is no danger that our country will be left without fuel, since the insurance mechanisms there are different.