site.btaDefence Minister, Greek Ambassador Discuss Upgrade of NATO Battle Group in Bulgaria to Brigade

The upgrade of the NATO Multinational Battle Group on Bulgarian territory to a brigade was discussed by Minister of Defence Todor Tagarev and Greek Ambassador here Alexios Liberopoulos, the press centre of the Defence Ministry said on Friday. The interaction between the defence industries of the two countries was also a focus of the talks. 

Tagarev and Liberopoulos highly appreciated the relations between the two countries in the defence sector, as well as in all other spheres of socio-political life. The two sides discussed opportunities for building on mutual cooperation, with an emphasis on the shared responsibility for strengthening security in the Black Sea region. Projects of mutual interest to improve North-South connectivity and the development of strategic infrastructure, as well as existing financing opportunities for these projects were also discussed. 

The meeting also focused on the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Sofia. According to Ambassador Liberopoulos, the visit sent a clear message to the world, and Minister Tagarev pointed out that the Bulgarian government is united in its support for Ukraine. 

Discussing the NATO Summit in Vilnius and taking into account the processes of adaptation to the changing security environment in the Black Sea region and the shared understanding of the need for enhanced cooperation, the Minister pointed out that Bulgaria and Romania have signed a Letter of Intent to establish a Regional Special Forces Component Command. In Vilnius, Tagarev noted the need for more investment in the defence and technology industrial base.