International experts are discussing the security of the Black Sea region and Europe at a conference in Sofia. The event was opened by Bulgarian President Iliana Iotova.
Iliana Iotova, President of Bulgaria: “We need to strengthen maritime situational awareness. We cannot effectively protect an area unless we have sufficiently accurate and timely information about what is happening there. Available surveillance capabilities need to be used more actively, including unmanned aerial systems, satellite-based assets and other maritime surveillance tools. The European Union already has a range of capabilities and tools that could be better coordinated and used more effectively.”
Photo: Desislava Kulelieva, BNT
Iliana Iotova, President of Bulgaria: “The protection of critical infrastructure must also be a priority. Modern conflicts show that critical infrastructure can be subjected to various forms of attack – physical, remote, cyber or through hybrid means. We are accelerating the development of capabilities to counter unmanned systems. Unmanned technologies are changing the nature of modern security. The modernisation of the armed forces must therefore include the acquisition and development of counter-drone capabilities, including systems for detecting and tracking drones and, where necessary and legally permissible, neutralising them. This process must, of course, be carried out in close coordination with our partners in the European Union and NATO.”
Photo: Desislava Kulelieva
Iliana Iotova, President of Bulgaria: “Bulgaria is ready to play an active role in negotiations and in reaching a consensus among the six countries bordering the Black Sea on a moratorium on hostilities in the Black Sea and turning it into a zone of shared security. It is particularly important that diplomatic efforts remain central. The recent attacks on commercial vessels are no longer incidents but actual military actions. They call into question not only the safety of individual ships and their crews, but also the principles of safe navigation.”
Photo: BTA
Dimitar Stoyanov, Minister of Defence: “At present, no new operations are planned by either the Navy or the Air Force. We are waiting for our colleagues at the Ministry of Transport to identify additional activities and contact organisations that could provide such a drone, which could then be used to survey the sunken vessel. We contacted NATO member states when the drone came down near Kardam. We asked them to step up surveillance of our airspace using radar systems so that we could improve our situational awareness. We have not yet received a response, so we will submit a new request.”
BNT: Have you contacted Romania and Türkiye about ensuring the safety of shipping through cooperation between the air forces of the three countries?
Dimitar Stoyanov, Minister of Defence: “That is not the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence, as we are not responsible for territorial waters. The exclusive economic zone consists of international waters. Perhaps the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should make contact, but the Ministry of Defence has not done so, and there is no point in us doing it. We remain in contact with our counterparts, however. If they have relevant information, they should share it with us, including satellite images that could be helpful. We have not been provided with any such images so far.”
Photo: Desislava Kulelieva, BNT
Ivan Demerdzhiev, Minister of the Interior: “We are taking many steps. This is not just a matter for Bulgaria, but also for NATO and the EU. We are working very actively within both organisations to strengthen the capabilities of NATO and the EU, including those of Bulgaria, so that we can operate more effectively in the Black Sea. The threats are much more serious at present because of the war in Ukraine. We expect them to remain serious even after the war ends. That is why we aim to acquire much more reliable and advanced equipment, including ships, other equipment and counter-drone systems. We are negotiating with our partners on this, as our budget does not have sufficient resources. We are doing everything necessary and possible to ensure that our maritime border is reliably protected and that it serves as a benchmark for the EU’s external border and NATO’s eastern flank.”
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