VDL: EC proposes dedicated funding of 50 million euro for Black Sea maritime security hub
The European Commission (EC) is proposing dedicated funding of 50 million euro for the Black Sea maritime security hub, which is to be brought into operation by Bulgaria and Romania, EC President Ursula von der Leyen said in Varna on November 10.
The EC also is to provide an additional 10 million euro for the search and rescue authorities in Bulgaria.
Von der Leyen visited Romania on November 9 and Bulgaria on November 10, against the background of the attacks – generally blamed on Russia – on merchant shipping in the Black Sea.
The EC president visited the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy and held talks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Roumen Radev.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Radev, Von der Leyen said: “Europe stands with Bulgaria, in these testing times. Because Black Sea security is European security”.
“We have witnessed together this year and specifically in the last month an increase in the number of threats, attacks and incursions into Bulgaria, which is EU territory,” Von der Leyen said.
“Now, drones are sinking commercial ships, setting vessels ablaze and killing civilians. Lives are lost at sea, navigation is disrupted, and the cost of insurance is skyrocketing,” she said.
“And the intention of these attacks is clear: Russia wants to spread fear and uncertainty in Europe. We know the playbook. And we are building resilience against it. So you can count on a strong and united European response.”
“In a wider context, we need to operationalise the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, conducted by Bulgaria and Romania. In this context I welcome the closer maritime cooperation between Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye,” Von der Leyen said.
“It is important to have it now up and running, and therefore we want to have clear timelines for its completion, and we want to offer a dedicated funding of 50 million euro to this Black Sea maritime security hub. We need it now.”
Radev, who along with his government opposes military equipment assistance for Ukraine, said that Bulgaria’s efforts to support Ukraine “have never ceased”.
“Especially here in Varna people know very well that we have been providing support for thousands of Ukrainian citizens free of charge and this is significant,” Radev said.
“You see that we are putting we are investing and putting in not only the material but also the human efforts and support for the protection of Ukrainian citizens at sea and you know that the Chelsea 3 vessel a significant part of the crew was Ukrainian citizens,” he said.
“We continue our support for Ukraine also with the export of electricity and power and energy towards Ukraine. We continue also with our efforts at bringing back into use the energy and electricity plants and also in the maintenance and re-establishment of the railway infrastructure.”
Radev said that in terms of financial support, Bulgaria was in an excessive deficit procedure, “so we do experience we are supporting in the financial capabilities that we have and respective to our financial capabilities but I would like to say that Bulgaria is in no way blocking the decisions at the council level that are being taken in unity for everyone to support as they can”.
Asked about the origin of the attacks on merchant shipping in the Black Sea, Radev said: “The attacks are a result of the escalation of the war between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea. This is the reason for the attacks. As far as the details are concerned, we are continuing to work”.
“The international teams that we have announced are still in Bulgaria. They are working hard. We are keeping in touch with them but they still have not been able to identify the perpetrator,” Radev said.
“We base our claims against the third country on facts and not on preliminary conclusions. They clearly stated that these attacks are the result of an escalation of the military aggression of the war that Russia initiated against Ukraine. This is the origin, this is the reason.”
Radev said: “We would like to receive further data and specific facts as to who was the perpetrator in terms of the work that is still ongoing from the international teams. We are still continuing and working hard in order to be able to clearly state supported by the facts what the origin is”.
“Unfortunately, I would like to say that we would prefer to stick to the facts and not to any preliminary presuppositions and expectations,” Radev said.
(Photo via Von der Leyen’s page on X)
