Bulgaria signs memo on receiving seven mine countermeasure ships from Belgium and the Netherlands
Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov signed on July 8 a memorandum of understanding between Bulgaria, Belgium and the Netherlands on Bulgaria’s acquisition of seven mine countermeasure ships, the Defence Ministry said.
The document was also signed by the ministers of defence of Belgium and of the Netherlands – Theo Francken and Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius.
The ceremony took place during the Nato Summit in Ankara.
“Security in the Black Sea has a huge impact on Euro-Atlantic security and Bulgaria strives to be a reliable ally by contributing to the common efforts to strengthen Nato’s deterrence and defence potential,” Stoyanov said.
He expressed his gratitude for the opportunity provided, with the acquisition of seven mine countermeasure ships from the navies of Belgium and the Netherlands, for Bulgaria to increase its maritime defence capabilities.
“The mine countermeasure ships will ensure our fair share and contribution to the Black Sea Mine Countermeasure Naval Group and to the overall defence potential of the Alliance on the Eastern Flank,” Stoyanov said.
Earlier, Stoyanov, together with the ministers of defence of Romania and Türkiye – Radu Miruță and Yaşar Güler , signed an amendment to the memorandum of understanding between Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye on the establishment of the Naval Mine Countermeasures Group in the Black Sea.
The amendments add a new task for the group, related to surveillance and reconnaissance in support of the protection of critical underwater infrastructure.
“Along with the security of shipping, the protection of critical underwater infrastructure is among the most important challenges facing maritime security today,” Stoyanov said.
“The expansion of the tasks of the Naval Mine Countermeasures Group is a timely response to the changing security environment and will contribute to the more effective protection of the strategically important energy and communication links in the Black Sea,” he said.
(Photo: Bulgaria’s Ministry of Defence)
