Bulgaria must move from declaring its Euro-Atlantic affiliation to specific defense actions, said journalist Emilia Milcheva in a comment on the drone attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea. According to her, the lack of clear communication from the authorities creates tension and leaves room for speculation.
Milcheva raised the question of why our country has not participated in the previously discussed NATO anti-drone system. She drew a parallel between the latest incidents and older cases, including the burning antennas and the explosions in Emilian Gebrev's warehouses. According to the journalist, Bulgaria has shown its Euro-Atlantic position, but it must be supported by real surveillance and defense capabilities.
Two ships were hit off the Bulgarian coast
On October 13, two merchant ships were attacked by drones in the Black Sea. One of them, the “Chelsea 3“, sails under the Maltese flag and was hit about 18 nautical miles east of Byala. 12 people were injured in the attack. A second ship sent a distress signal about 17 nautical miles east of Krapets, after which it sank. One crew member was rescued.
The incidents occurred in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, not in its territorial waters. This clarification was also emphasized by sociologist Andrey Raichev, who identified Russia as the aggressor in the current conflict, but pointed out that the geographical location of the attacks matters for the country's reaction.
Raichev said that Europe is facing a simultaneous violation of the two factors on which its development is traditionally based - economic growth and peace. According to him, this creates a risk for the sustainability of European structures.
Government intensifies surveillance
After the attacks, Bulgaria announced additional measures on the Black Sea coast. The deployment of two more unmanned aerial systems and additional anti-aircraft missile complexes is planned. The government stated that it will not seek the activation of Article 4 of NATO.
“The Black Sea has already become a zone of conflict and it is necessary to identify additional measures“, said Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov. Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova has sought assistance from the European Union and NATO to establish the origin of the drones and to strengthen surveillance of the country's air and maritime space.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev convened a meeting of the Security Council and spoke with Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova. Bulgaria has notified its NATO and European Union partners of the attacks, and parliament is hearing from the prime minister, ministers and heads of services about the actions taken.
Sources: novini.bg, nova.bg