Defence Minister: US Aircraft Will Not Arrive Today, Possibly Next Week

The expected arrival of the aircraft will not take place today and is more likely to happen next week. Up to eight aircraft are expected, meaning the deployment could involve two, four, six or as many as eight planes. The number of US military personnel expected to arrive is up to 250, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said on July 24 during a briefing following a meeting with mayors from municipalities in the Yambol region regarding the deployment of US aircraft at Bezmer Air Base.

Parliament Gives Green Light to Deployment of US Military Aircraft at Bezmer Air Base

Dimitar Stoyanov, Defence Minister:
"I was here today not to persuade or dissuade the mayors, but to provide them with the information they need and to allay fears which, to a large extent, are unnecessary. The information is based on facts, and we are following the government's clear policy of openness and honesty towards the Bulgarian people. We demonstrated this from the moment we submitted the proposal for the deployment of the aircraft to the National Assembly and shared this information with the entire Bulgarian public, including representatives from the Yambol region.”