A drone attack on the commercial ship ONTSHIP JET about 21 miles from Shabla has provoked sharp reactions from opposition parties. The Liberian-flagged container ship was hit in the Black Sea, and its crew was evacuated. The leader of “Vazrazhdane“ Kostadin Kostadinov stated that the ship subsequently sank, but this information was presented by him.
The incident occurred during the meeting of the defense ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey in Sofia. It was the way in which the authorities reported the attack that became the main topic of political reactions.
Denkov demanded an answer about security
Former Prime Minister and current MP from “We continue the change“ Nikolay Denkov questioned the effectiveness of the policy of restraint towards Russia. In a post on Facebook, he demanded an explanation of why the attacks on ships continue and what specific actions Bulgaria is taking to protect its territory and citizens.
The MP also asked when the authorities would call on Russia to start peace negotiations, whether diplomacy is still accepted as the only way out of the war, and what decisions were made at the tripartite meeting in Sofia. Denkov also insisted on faster practical measures, including cooperation with countries that have anti-drone systems.
Various proposals from the opposition
„Vazrazhdane“ demanded that Bulgaria declare complete neutrality and stop arms exports to Ukraine. Kostadinov said that another incident shows the immediate risks for the country.
„Democratic Bulgaria“ insisted on more categorical diplomatic pressure on Russia. The co-chairman of „Yes, Bulgaria“ Ivaylo Mirchev said that Bulgaria should have handed over a diplomatic note with a request to prevent such attacks in the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone.
GERB: Concrete actions are needed
GERB also described the government's reaction as insufficient. Georg Georgiev said that the diplomatic approach taken did not prevent the new incident.
“The moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea is not working“, Georg Georgiev said.He criticized Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov for mentioning the attack only at the end of the joint press conference with his Romanian and Turkish counterparts.
Hristo Gadzhev emphasized the economic consequences. According to him, uncertainty in the Black Sea could lead to higher prices for freight transport and ship insurance, which would increase costs for citizens.
According to the information presented by Gadzhev, Romania has proposed a joint command and situation center, and Turkey - joint surveillance and maritime missions to ensure the safety of shipping. GERB stated that the Bulgarian side limited itself to a political declaration and agreements on mutual visits.
Sources: dariknews.bg