site.btaDefence Minister, Finnish Ambassador Discuss Need of Increased Cooperation in Black Sea Region

At a meeting here on Friday, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov and Finnish Ambassador to Bulgaria Kristiina Kuvaja-Xanthopoulos discussed the need of increased cooperation between the countries in the Black Sea region in order to adapt to the challengers they face due to the war in Ukraine. The sides put an emphasis on the Mine Counter-measures Task Group Black Sea (MCM Black Sea) established by Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkiye, the Defence Ministry reported.

The sides underlined the traditionally good interaction of Bulgaria and Finland in the military sphere within the EU membership and expressed confidence that its scope will be broadened and deepened in an allied format after Finland's accession to NATO. Minister Zapryanov welcomed Finland's decision to join the Alliance, and Ambassador Xanthopoulos expressed gratitude for the support of the Bulgarian official authorities in this process. The two stressed the importance of NATO partnership in the current changed security environment as well as the important role of Bulgaria and Finland in building the Allied deterrence and defence capacity on NATO's eastern flank. 

During the talks, prospects for the development of constructive dialogue and collective defence in the context of the upcoming NATO Summit in Washington were outlined. The opportunities for defence-industrial cooperation, the projects for the modernisation of the Bulgarian Army and the ways to counter hybrid threats and disinformation campaigns were discussed. Particular emphasis was placed on the assistance provided by Bulgaria and Finland to Ukraine, with both countries stating categorically that they would continue to provide support for the preservation of the sovereignty of the State and the security of the Ukrainian people as long as necessary. 

Xanthopoulos congratulated Bulgaria on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its accession to NATO. Minister Zapryanov invited Finnish defence industry companies to take part in the Hemus 2024 International Defence Equipment and Services Exhibition, which will be held in Plovdiv (South Central Bulgaria) from June 5 to 8. He said that this year, there has been an increase of 25% in the number of exhibitors who have applied to participate.

MCM Black Sea's establishment was initiated by Turkiye in August 2023 with the main task of ensuring the safety of the sea lanes in the Black Sea in mine countermeasures and countering the mine threat that arose after the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. MCM Black Sea's activities are entirely peaceful in nature and are not directed against any other country. The task group is expected to help improve interaction and goodneighbourly relations between the participants, without replacing NATO's presence and ongoing deterrence and defence activities in the Black Sea area. In April, Minister Zapryanov said that the Turkish Parliament had ratified the Memorandum of Understanding on the MCM Black Sea's establishment, thus giving the green light to the task group.