Bulgaria Signs Memorandum with Belgium and the Netherlands to Acquire Seven Mine Countermeasure Ships

Defence Minister, Dimitar Stoyanov, today, July 8, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Bulgaria, Belgium and the Netherlands on the acquisition of seven mine countermeasure ships. The document was also signed by the defence ministers of Belgium and the Netherlands, Theo Francken and Dylan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius. The ceremony took place on the sidelines of the meeting of NATO member states’ heads of state and government in Ankara, Republic of Türkiye.

"Security in the Black Sea has a major impact on Euro-Atlantic security, and Bulgaria is striving to be a reliable ally by contributing to the collective efforts to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence capabilities," Minister Stoyanov said in his address.

He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity for Bulgaria to enhance its maritime defence capabilities through the acquisition of seven mine countermeasure ships from the naval forces of Belgium and the Netherlands.

"The mine countermeasure ships will ensure our fair share and contribution to the Mine Countermeasures Naval Group in the Black Sea and to the Alliance’s overall defence capabilities on its eastern flank," the Defence Minister said.

Earlier, Minister Dimitar Stoyanov, together with the defence ministers of Romania and Türkiye, Radu Miruță and Yaşar Güler, signed an amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding between Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye on the establishment of the Mine Countermeasures Naval Group in the Black Sea. The amendments add a new task for the group related to monitoring and intelligence activities in support of the protection of critical underwater infrastructure.

"Alongside the security of maritime navigation, the protection of critical underwater infrastructure is among the most important challenges facing maritime security today. Expanding the tasks of the Mine Countermeasures Naval Group is a timely response to the changing security environment and will contribute to more effective protection of strategically important energy and communication links in the Black Sea," Minister Dimitar Stoyanov stressed.