Four of the US Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker tanker aircraft left the “Vasil Levski“ airport in Sofia. This is shown by information on the flight tracking platform Flightradar24, bTV reports.
The US military aircraft have permission to stay at “Vasil Levski” airport until June 30. The government extended the deadline so that the allies can reschedule their operations and find another location.
The machines consist of Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker strategic tankers, as well as Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Boeing C-17 Globemaster III transports.
Their mission is of a non-military nature and they provide logistical support to the operations of NATO allies in the region. Up to 500 service personnel are allowed to stay in the country.
At the end of May, the Council of Ministers extended their residence permit, in exchange for a request to waive visas for Bulgarian citizens.
"At the last meeting of the Council of Ministers, I announced that during a conversation with the US President, I requested the waiver of visas for Bulgarian citizens,“ said Prime Minister Rumen Radev at the time. He announced that there has been no positive response so far, so Bulgaria cannot respond positively to the request for a long stay of the planes and tankers at Sofia Airport.