The only chance to maintain the MiG-29 is with the help of Poland, we will also rely on Poland for the maintenance of the F-16. This was said by the Bulgarian Prime Minister in Poland during a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk, quoted by Dariknews.bg.
"Thanks to Poland, we maintain our aviation in combat readiness, it is no coincidence that the Minister of Defense is included in our delegation. We now have another order for engine repairs for the MiG-29. We have no other chance, the only chance to maintain the MiG-29 is with the help of Poland, we will also rely on Poland for the maintenance of the F-16", said Radev. He said he was impressed by the high technological level of an aircraft repair plant that he visited years ago in his capacity as commander of the air force.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev described Poland's breakthrough in building modern railway connections as a "solid achievement", with speeds already reaching 300 kilometers per hour. "I would be happy to see your infrastructure companies in Bulgaria, we have a number of projects where we can work together", said the Bulgarian Prime Minister.
"Thanks to the efforts of both countries, we are reporting a significant decrease in migrant pressure, but this costs a lot of effort and I think this is being reported in Brussels", explained Radev.
Regarding EU funding, Radev said that Poland is an example of how EU funds can be best utilized and thanked Tusk for the exchange of information, for the standards for fast and high-quality infrastructure construction.
The Prime Minister told Tusk that the Bulgarian Parliament had approved February 14 as a day of friendship and cooperation with Poland and expressed hope that the Polish Parliament would do the same.
The Prime Minister announced that in 2025 there were nearly 500 thousand Polish tourists in Bulgaria, with their number growing every year. Trade is also growing rapidly, and it already amounts to over three billion euros. Radev also said that Polish investments so far amount to over 650 million euros.
We must very consistently support Ukraine, said the Prime Minister of Poland after the meeting “one-on-one“ with Prime Minister Rumen Radev, who is on an official visit to Warsaw.
Tusk recalled Russia's aggressive behavior and the problems that Russian attacks near the Polish border are creating for the country, including the need to evacuate border checkpoints. Tusk warned about the coming winter and that Europe must prepare well for the coming months, which could be critical.
Donald Tusk said that he was aware of the differences between Poland and Bulgaria, but emphasized the common opinion that Russia's war against Ukraine must end, but not at the cost of the aggressor emerging victorious. “We do not see any will on the part of Russian President Vladimir Putin in this regard“, said Tusk. He expressed regret for the sabotage actions on Poland's eastern border and in railway transport, which create a number of problems for the country.
He stressed that cooperation with Bulgaria is a priority for Poland. “The European heart beats strongly in our region today and the future of Europe belongs to countries such as Poland and Bulgaria“, said Tusk.
At today's meeting, the two discussed economic cooperation between the two countries with an emphasis on the defense industry, Tusk said, and declared his readiness and desire for this cooperation to be strengthened. Tusk welcomed the decision of the Bulgarian Parliament to declare February 14 the Day of Bulgarian-Polish Friendship and Cooperation and assured that the Polish Sejm is about to make a similar decision.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Rumen Radev and the delegation he led arrived on an official visit to Poland.
The Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk welcomed the Prime Minister of Bulgaria Rumen Radev with an official ceremony in front of the Council of Ministers in Warsaw.
The anthems of the two countries were played at the ceremony, which was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investments and Industry Alexander Pulev, Minister of Defense Dimitar Stoyanov and Minister of Interior Ivan Demerdzhiev, as well as official representatives of the Polish state.
The Bulgarian delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investments and Industry Alexander Pulev, Minister of Defense Dimitar Stoyanov and the Minister of Internal Affairs Ivan Demerdzhiev, as well as business representatives.
Rumen Radev is visiting Poland for the second time since taking office as Prime Minister. In June, he participated in the High-Level International Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine, hosted this year by the Polish city of Gdansk. At that time, he spoke with Prime Minister Donald Tusk about opportunities for further expansion of the bilateral economic and investment partnership.
High technologies, high-value-added industries, and infrastructure development were highlighted as particularly promising areas.
Good cooperation in the field of defense was noted.
A month later, Radev held a meeting in Sofia with representatives of the management of the Polish state-owned aircraft repair company, which has been a partner of Bulgaria for years in the repair and maintenance of Bulgarian MiG-29 fighters. The Polish company has expressed its readiness to continue the cooperation.
Until a full combat squadron of American F-16 fighters is filled, which can perform airspace security duties, Bulgaria will continue to rely on the MiG-29, which requires ensuring their technical maintenance and repair.
After the start of the war in Ukraine, the procurement of parts and maintenance have been difficult, and the Minister of Defense Dimitar Stoyanov is also part of the Bulgarian delegation and announced today's talks in Warsaw.