What Exactly is Bulgaria's Exclusive Economic Zone in the Black Sea?

Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea is a maritime zone beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea. Bulgaria does not exercise full sovereignty over it, but has specific sovereign rights and jurisdiction as defined by international maritime law.

• Two ships were struck by drones in Bulgarian waters; one sank

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an exclusive economic zone may extend up to 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. In the Black Sea, however, this distance cannot be applied mechanically, as the maritime space is limited and other coastal states lie opposite Bulgaria. The boundaries of Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone have been established through agreements with the countries of the region.

• PM Radev after Drones Struck Two Merchant Ships near the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast: 'This Is an Absolutely Unacceptable Attack in Bulgaria’s Exclusive Economic Zone'

It is important to distinguish between the exclusive economic zone and territorial waters. Bulgaria’s territorial sea is an area over which the country exercises sovereignty. In the exclusive economic zone, other states retain a number of freedoms, including freedom of navigation.

At the same time, Bulgaria has exclusive rights over the exploration, exploitation, conservation and management of natural resources in the zone. This includes the living resources of the sea, as well as resources on and beneath the seabed. The country also has jurisdiction over certain activities, such as the construction and use of artificial islands, installations and structures, as well as the protection of the marine environment.

This combination of freedom of navigation and the rights of the coastal state makes the exclusive economic zone a particularly sensitive area during armed conflicts and incidents.

A commercial vessel passing through Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone is not in Bulgarian territorial waters. The mere presence of a foreign vessel in the zone does not constitute a violation of Bulgarian sovereignty.

The zone is nevertheless not beyond the reach of Bulgarian institutions. Under certain circumstances, Bulgaria has responsibilities and powers relating to the safety of navigation, protection of the marine environment, prevention of violations, and the search for and rescue of people in distress.

In the current incident involving the two vessels, the location of the attack is of particular significance. If the attack took place in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, it did not occur in Bulgarian territorial waters.

However, attacks on civilian commercial vessels raise serious concerns over the security of international shipping, compliance with international law, and the ability of countries in the region to respond to such incidents.

Against the backdrop of the war in the Black Sea, the significance of the zone is no longer limited to economic activities. Trade routes, energy and resource interests, environmental risks and the security of civilian shipping all intersect there.

Source: BGNES