site.btaUPDATED Defence Minister: US Views Bulgaria as Ally with Vital Role, Given Security Situation in Region

The United States views Bulgaria as an ally with an extremely important role, given the security situation in our region, Minister of Defence Todor Tagarev said on Bulgarian National TV's Panorama programme Friday evening, on the occasion of his recent visit to Washington. 

He explained that he had seen how the process of production of the F-16 aircraft was going on at the Greenville plant in South Carolina. Minister Tagarev added that production is at full capacity and the first ready aircraft will be flight tested this year. 

Regarding the situation in the Red Sea, Tagarev once again explained that no decision has been made for Bulgaria to participate in the operation against the Houthis and only the National Assembly can make such a decision. 

He added that information has come out that Greece will send a frigate to the Red Sea. "Unfortunately, we don't have that possibility, so we are discussing to have officers to work in the headquarters of the operation, to make the connection with our government, so that we know what is happening there, what possibilities are opening, so that our voice is heard," the Minister explained.

"We have the decisions for deploying a multinational battlegroup on our territory and to be able to increase this group to a brigade battlegroup, i.e. to about 5,000 servicepersons, when necessary," Tagarev said in response to a question. The Minister recalled that there are plans adopted at the regional level at the NATO Summit in Brussels, which stipulate how this deployment should take place in case of war or risk of war. "Any country hosting such an allied force has an obligation to provide the support and therefore issues, such as infrastructure development are being discussed. It is developed mainly in the civilian interest, but in a way that can ensure the deployment of allied forces on our territory. This would be an argument for us to receive co-financing for the construction of certain objects of it," Tagarev added.

As examples, he gave the connection between the Black Sea ports and the ports in the Mediterranean, the connection between Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, the roads through the Balkan Mountains, at least one more bridge over the Danube.

According to Todor Tagarev, the Government agrees with the policy that assisting Ukraine is investing in Bulgaria's own security.

He reiterated that aid has been provided from the Bulgarian Army's warehouses, and this country's defence capability has not been compromised. 

The Bulgarian Socialist Party quoted its MP Yavor Gechev as telling the Panorama TV show that Tagarev has not been authorized by the Bulgarian Government to hold such discussions in the US, no decisions have been made for Bulgaria to commit itself to increasing the number of foreign troops on its soil beyond what has been agreed to. 

Gechev criticized the Defence Minister for bringing up conflicts across the world, while the Bulgarian armed forces are underequipped and lagging.