Bulgaria is mobilizing the Navy, border guards and the civilian sector to respond to incidents involving commercial vessels in the Black Sea. Deputy Foreign Minister Hristo Polendakov said this at a meeting with ambassadors and chargé d'affaires of diplomatic missions in Bucharest.
The event was held at the Bulgarian Embassy on the initiative of Ambassador Radko Vlaikov, immediately after the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Central European Initiative. A diplomat from the Philippines also took part in the discussion and raised the issue of the safety of civilian vessels, including ships carrying Filipino sailors.
“That is why we are mobilizing all available resources so that, above all, we can respond if the situation deteriorates. The other aspect, which remains less visible, is prevention,” Hristo Polendakov said.According to him, the Bulgarian Navy and border guards are the first line of action. Civilian ships located near the affected vessels can also join rescue operations. The second line of action is communication and efforts to prevent similar incidents.
Coordination with Romania and Türkiye
Polendakov noted that Bulgaria shares similar positions and maintains close coordination with Romania and Türkiye. Both countries are Black Sea states and NATO members. Last week in Sofia, the defense ministers of the three countries discussed the situation together with the chiefs of their general staffs.
The deputy minister recalled the calls for a complete halt to actions affecting civilian shipping in the Black Sea. He said that the military situation and possible provocations should not rule out the prior identification of risks and prevention.
“I hope the day will come when the Black Sea will once again be a sea of peace, not a sea of war,” Polendakov said.
He also said that French aircraft are conducting flights over the Black Sea, while Bulgaria has activated its capabilities in the air and space domains through various channels. According to him, it is now expected to have been established who is responsible for the attacks on the ships.
During the meeting, Polendakov also presented upcoming diplomatic initiatives. In the spring, Bulgaria will host a summit on the Middle Corridor, organized jointly with the European Commission. BTA reported on the meeting in Bucharest.
Sources: bta.bg