Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Nadezhda Neynski stated that the Bulgarian authorities were informed of an upcoming strike against Iran even before the weekend, but until recently it was not clear which of the possible options would be chosen by US President Donald Trump.
"We were aware that the strike against Iran was coming this weekend. In what way and which of the options would be chosen by Trump, it was not known until recently", she said in the BTV studio.
According to Neynski, the key question for Bulgaria is what will happen in Iran after the removal of Khamenei. She stressed that it is of utmost importance not to allow chaos and additional tension in the region, as well as not to lead to a new refugee wave.
"This will be a risk for neighboring countries, including Bulgaria", the minister pointed out and added that a conversation is forthcoming with the foreign ministers of Greece and Turkey to coordinate actions in the event of possible migration flows.
The focus of the Foreign Ministry is the safety of Bulgarian citizens in the region. At the moment, the airspace is closed, which makes evacuation by air difficult.
According to data from the Ministry of Tourism, 1,397 organized Bulgarian tourists are in the Middle East, including in Dubai, Jordan, as well as the Maldives, Seychelles and Oman.
Bulgaria is ready to send planes at the earliest opportunity to open an "air window" in order to begin a phased withdrawal of those wishing to leave the region. Until then, citizens are urged to stay in protected areas and follow the instructions of the authorities.
Neinsky also commented on the presence of American military aircraft at "Vasil Levski" airport in Sofia. According to her, they are in the country by virtue of a diplomatic note from the US Embassy and are intended solely for planned training activities.
"They have nothing to do with the logistics of the military operation. Bulgaria is not part of the military actions and is not a country," she emphasized. The aircraft will remain in our country until the end of May, and a possible change in their function would require a sanction from the National Assembly.
Regarding the allegations of Iranian missiles being fired at Cyprus, Neinsky stated that missiles were fired, but fell into the sea. Cypriot authorities have denied there was a threat to the country.
"The explanation is that there was indiscriminate shooting, which is not reassuring in any way. But at this stage there are no signs of damage in Cyprus," she said, noting that this is in fact the first attack on an EU member state in the current escalation.