November 19, 2023. On that date, the Bulgarian sailors were kidnapped from the ship “Galaxy Leader”, NOVA recalls.
Almost a year later, the captain and assistant captain Lyubomir Chanev and Danail Veselinov were captured by the Houthis. A month ago there was a stir – Elena Yoncheva managed to meet with them, then she was waiting for a meeting with the president of Yemen.
Meanwhile, Israel and Yemen exchanged missile strikes. What happens to the Bulgarian sailors in such a geopolitical situation - said the sister of captain Lubomir Chanev Veselin Chaneva. “When they were captured they were sure they would be released, as no nationality in the crew was involved in this conflict. "I can't believe it's been a year and we can't solve this problem," she said.
„I feel that Bulgaria is not doing enough. I do not see synchronicity between the institutions in looking for all options. To be consolidated”, pointed out Lyubomir Chanev's sister.
In her words, Elena Yoncheva's visit showed that dialogue is possible. As a result, the question arose as to why none of our institutions sent a person to negotiate. “There is no problem to go to the place and negotiate”, Veselina Chaneva was categorical.
According to her, our Foreign Ministry made a mistake in its response to the leader of the Houthis when he asked in his capacity what Elena Yoncheva was going to them. According to her, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that its mission was humanitarian and personal, and thus there was no way to take the boys home. “The Foreign Ministry has contact with the Houthis. At the moment, when Yonchev is there, the ministry tells them that she is there in a personal capacity”, Chaneva pointed out.
She has written a letter to Josep Borrell asking what the European Union is doing about it. The vice-president of the EC answered her: “I would like to emphasize that the issues related to consular protection are exclusively within the framework of those held in the Union. To the best of our knowledge, neither the Commission's services nor the Office for External Affairs have received an official request for assistance from the Bulgarian authorities in connection with the present case. I would like to repeat that our services and the EU delegation in Yemen are ready within their competence to provide support to the Bulgarian authorities when called upon by them.