Defence Minister: Bulgaria ready to contribute soldiers to Nato brigade in Romania
Bulgaria could deploy about 400 military personnel to take part in training and joint exercises as part of a Nato multinational brigade in Romania, Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolai Nenchev said on June 14.
At a Nato ministerial meeting in Brussels, the alliance’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that Nato intends to deploy a multinational brigade in Romania as well as the alliance’s battalions in the Baltic states and Poland.
A decision on this should be taken at Nato’s summit in Warsaw on July 8 and 9.
Stoltenberg said that Nato is not seeking confrontation with Russia and the goal was to build a more constructive relationship, so that channels will be left open for political dialogue with Moscow.
Nenchev, who while at the ministerial meeting held talks with his Romanian counterpart Mihnea Motoc, said that the two had discussed issues related to the security of South Eastern Europe, including the deployment of a company in Romania.
He and Motoc were convinced of the need for a more tangible Nato presence in the Black Sea region, Nenchev said.
“We have a common vision and will probably put this issue at the summit in Warsaw together,” the Bulgarian Defence Minister said, quoted by Bulgarian National Radio.
A Bulgarian Defence Ministry statement said that Nenchev and Motoc had discussed the new initiative to form a Nato multinational brigade in Romania.
Bulgaria had confirmed its support for the initiative and contribution to training and preparation.
Nenchev shared the common concern about security in the Black Sea region and the need for involvement of all Nato member states in the efforts of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey in developing specific proposals.
“In this regard we consider appropriate the inclusion of the military authorities of Nato at the earliest possible stage,” he said, according to the Defence Ministry statement.
(Photo, of Nenchev, left, and Motoc: Bulgarian Defence Ministry)
