A joint exercise of the US Air Force with our Air Force is being held at our "Vrazhdebna" air base regarding the forward deployment of a logistical element, namely aircraft for aerial refueling of aircraft. This exercise is planned at the request of the European Command. This was explained by the acting Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov in the Council of Ministers.
"As parameters, it can include no more than 15 aircraft, and the personnel that will be used will be no more than 500 people," he added.
The only involvement of "Vasil Levski"-Sofia airport in this exercise is the deployment of aircraft parking spaces in the area of the civilian airport. Since the "Vrazhdebna" airport does not have enough parking spaces for aircraft. This is a result of the long-term privatization actions that have led to the expropriation of parts of the Air Force's properties and now we are limited in deploying these funds only in the military zone, Minister Zapryanov explained.
We are not talking about the participation of the Sofia airport in an exercise, but about the use of free parking space for aircraft. This exercise in no way affects the activities of our international airport "Vasil Levski", its planned activities, and does not require the closure of the airport, Atanas Zapryanov was categorical.
I want to dispel in every possible way the speculative information that the airport will be closed for some other military purposes. The closure of the airport is solely within the power of the airport authorities and they are closing it for logistical and engineering activities, he further explained.
Minister Zapryanov further specified that the exercise is not related to the situation and the US negotiations with Iran. "Nobody has asked Bulgaria for either territory or military participation", he further said.