„EMKO” is the most professionally operating company in the ammunition production industry. I am convinced that the cause of the explosion is not due to the omissions of the employees and management. This was stated by the ammunition expert and former deputy technical director of "Emko" Naiden Iliev on the air of „Your Day” on NOVA NEWS.
He commented on the two theses about the fire.
The first is about the ignition of ammunition. According to him, in about 4% of the world, this is the cause of such incidents in ammunition warehouses. Iliev emphasized, however, that spontaneous combustion is very difficult to prove, but this also applies to any other cause of such incidents. The reason for this is that most evidence is destroyed during the explosion.
The second thesis is about the source of arson, i.e. deliberately caused. In his words, this is completely possible.
"It is claimed that the workers saw smoke in the warehouse, this raises questions. However, this second thesis does not cancel the first”, the expert emphasized.
He also explained that the spontaneous combustion of ammunition can occur with old charges and at high storage temperatures. Iliev added that the “EMKO” base was not built recently. It is well thought out and built.
“Human error is very unlikely”, the expert was categorical.
According to Iliev, the suspicion of deliberate arson leads to Russia, “which would be the main beneficiary of the shake-up of the situation in Bulgaria”. ”So the option of sabotage is absolutely real. It can be carried out in several ways - to throw something from an unmanned aerial vehicle or someone to bring the explosive into the warehouse and leave it there”, the expert added.
Iliev explained what is produced at “EMKO”. He pointed out that it is about artillery ammunition of Soviet calibers. He could not say whether such ammunition was sent from Bulgaria to Ukraine, but explained that other countries that had done so are now replenishing their stocks from Bulgarian manufacturers.