BTA :: Defence of Black Sea Is NATO's Strategic Priority

Defence of Black Sea Is NATO's Strategic Priority - Defence Minister

Desislava Toncheva

Defence Minister Todor Tagarev in Varna, August 13, 2023 (BTA Photo)

Sofia,

13.08.2023 11:42

(BTA)

The defence of the Black Sea is a strategic priority for NATO, and the importance and responsibilities of the Bulgarian Navy are growing by the day, Defence Minister Todor Tagarev said on Sunday in his address to the cadets of the 2023 class of the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna. At a ceremony, they received their first officer's shoulder boards.

In the last decade, the Black Sea has become an area of significant energy projects, growing political and military tension, Tagarev pointed out. He recalled that as a result, in the last year and a half, the Black sea witnessed the first large-scale war in Europe in 78 years, as well as increasingly frequent provocations towards NATO member countries. Due to the changed situation, NATO defined the protection of the Black Sea as a priority in its strategic concept, because it is extremely important both for security and for the economy, transport and ecology of all member countries of the region, added Tagarev, explaining that all this increases the role of the Navy and requires significant investments for their accelerated modernization and their close integration with the armed forces of other NATO member countries.

The Minister addressed the young officers, pointing out that they will be the commanders who will have the honour and responsibility to directly implement the allied strategy and the Bulgarian commitments to strengthen the Black Sea security, to build the defence capabilities of this country's Navy. He expressed confidence that they will cope with these tasks as they are graduates of an elite school.

"Today, as in the past, Bulgaria is proud of its naval officers," said Tagarev and added that the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy, which trains the young officers of the Navy and confirms the international authority of Bulgarian maritime education, has an indisputable contribution to this.

/DT/