Bulgaria proposes hosting maritime centre for safety of shipping in western Black Sea
Bulgaria is proposing the establishment of a multinational maritime coordination centre to ensure the safety of shipping in the western part of the Black Sea and is offering to host it, Prime Minister Rossen Zhelyazkov said on March 27.
Zhelyazkov was speaking at the Peace and Security for Ukraine in Paris, in which he participated at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Bulgarian proposal envisages that the centre will provide constant maritime surveillance and early warning of potential threats and hostile activities, as well as to increase the resilience of critical underwater infrastructure in the Black Sea.
“The goal is to establish guidelines for shipping and to carry out monitoring activities – by air and water, as well as critical infrastructure, as well as all potential hostile actions in the Black Sea territory,” Zhelyazkov said after the meeting.
He said the restoration of commercial shipping is extremely important because it affects not only the bordering countries, but also the entire East-West trade.
Zhelyazkov said that the Black Sea mine action group is a good example of how coordination between coastal states can contribute to efforts to strengthen security, safety, stability and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.
The March 27 meeting in Paris discussed the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine in the context of establishing a stable and lasting peace with all the security guarantees that must be given to Ukraine, including guarantees for the security of Europe.
Zhelyazkov said that the format of today’s meeting, which includes leaders from all over Europe, as well as international partners, was indicative of the strength of the cause being defended and the path chosen – to establish a lasting, just peace, while respecting all the principles of international law.
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