Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania signed Black Sea mine clearance 'roadmap'

The Black Sea Mine Countermeasure Task Group, between Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania, established within the framework of NATO to clear mines in the Black Sea, held its first meeting in Istanbul on July 1.

It started at 11.00 a.m. with the signing of a 'roadmap' under which the group will carry out and continue its activities. The document was signed by the commanders of the navies of the three countries - Bulgarian Naval Forces Commander Rear Adm. Kiril Yordanov Mihaylov; Romanian Naval Forces Commander Vice Adm. Mihai Panait Rear Admiral Mihai Panait and commander of the Turkish Naval Forces, Ercument Tatlioglu.

An official activation ceremony was held at the military port during the day.

The task force will sail to the Black Sea with four military ships, including two from the Turkish Navy, one from the Romanian Navy, and one from the Bulgarian Navy.

The mine hunter "Struma" set sail from the Naval base in Varna for Istanbul to participate in the first activation of the newly formed task group.

Prior to the start of the meeting, the Turkish Ministry of Defence recalled that 20 mines have already been defused. 12 of them - from Bulgaria and Romania, and 8 - from Turkey.

Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey establish Mine Countermeasures Naval Group to tackle increased mine threat in the Black Sea

In January, Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania signed an agreement to jointly tackle the mine threat in the Black Sea.