site.btaBlack Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group to Be Activated Twice Under Bulgarian Command

Under Bulgarian command in the six months until July 2, the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group (MCM BLACK SEA) will be activated twice, the Bulgarian Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov, said on Wednesday when Bulgaria assumed command from Turkiye at the Navy Headquarters in Varna. In the presence of the Turkish Naval Forces Commander, Admiral Ercument Tatlioglu, and the Romanian Navy Commander, Vice Admiral Mihai Panait, the Commander of MCM Black Sea Task Group, Rear Admiral Selcuk Akari, turned over command to Captain Pavlin Petkov.

The main task of MCM BLACK SEA remains the fight against drifting mines in the Black Sea and ensuring free and safe navigation in its western part, Adm. Mihaylov said. The two activations under Bulgarian command will take place in April and June.

Capt. Petkov said that in each activation, Bulgaria will participate with two ships. The mine hunter Struma will participate in April.

The MCM Black Sea Committee said in a statement signed by the Navy commanders of the three countries that the Task Group is the best example of joint commitment of the Allied Black Sea states to address the mine threat and ensure the safety of maritime traffic. The activations carried out under Turkish command blazed a trail for the initiative, whose impact was felt worldwide. The Committee stressed that the experience gained by the servicepersons, as well as the lessons learned, should be applied in the best possible way in the Task Group's future activities to make it more effective.