Bulgarian PM says investigation into arson of Starlink antennas near Sofia underway

Bulgarian Prime Minister Roumen Radev confirmed on October 14 a case of arson of Starlink antennas near Sofia, but remained tight-lipped on the topic, saying that an investigation was still underway.

Radev was speaking in Parliament in a hearing about the attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea and the arson of antennas for communication with the Starlink satellite system.

In front of MPs, Radev called on the head of the State Agency for National Security, Plamen Tonchev, not to reveal details about the arson of the Starlink antennas until the investigation is complete.

The investigation is being worked on with partner services and is extremely intensive, with a result expected soon, Radev said.

He said that premature disclosure of the information established by the State Agency for National Security and the police could hinder the successful completion of the investigation.

The arson became known to the public after Ivailo Mirchev, an MP for opposition Democratic Bulgaria, posted on Facebook that 11 out of 17 Starlink antennas at a secret site near Sofia.

Mirchev said that his information was that the perpetrators were two masked men.

“The incident was not reported by the Interior Ministry, in the media, anywhere, as if it had not happened,” Mirchev said.

He said that the incident raises questions: Was there a warning from partner services about a planned sabotage at this location? Did the Bulgarian security and intelligence services know about the planned sabotage and what measures were taken? Was the presence of police cars at the scene in the last hours not too late?

“Just a few days ago at the Consultative Council on National Security, the head of the State Agency for National Security assured me that counterintelligence is working very actively to counter sabotage along Russian lines. It is obviously not doing well,” Mirchev said.

Hours later, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov indirectly confirmed the case. When asked what was known about the arson of antennas, he replied: “Good question, but it’s better to address it to the Ministry of Interior and the relevant services.”

“The Ministry of Defence has no commitment to security or anything else at these sites,” Stoyanov said.

In Parliament on October 14, Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said that security at such sites has been strengthened: “What I can add, without discrediting the investigative actions in any way, is that although the responsibility for the security of these sites lies with their owners, additional measures have been taken to secure similar sites throughout the country by the structures of the Ministry of Interior. “

Bozhidar Bozhanov of Democratic Bulgaria attacked Radev for being afraid to acknowledge Russian hybrid attacks in Bulgaria, referring to the case of the arson of the antennas.

“Why are you afraid to name Russia? Why don’t you act like Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who in a similar case in Poland named Russia and the four perpetrators were arrested in Poland?” Bozhanov said.

Radev replied to Bozanov that he must have a “crystal ball and therefore knows who the perpetrator is”.

Radev called on the public to wait, “everything is clear to us, but the investigation must be completed”.

Tonchev told Parliament that the site with the antennas is private property: “Our forces are not infinite. Every day we detect how critical infrastructure is being monitored – railway stations, bridges. Let’s keep calm”.

There was a report the day before the antennas were set on fire, the Interior Ministry provided security, but it failed to prevent the sabotage.

“What do you want – to have a policeman at every antenna?” Radev said.