“The initiative to establish the Naval Mine Countermeasures Group in the Black Sea (MCM Black Sea), in which the navies of Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey participate, is a tangible sign of our shared commitment to protecting freedom of navigation and maritime commerce and to ensuring security in the Black Sea. It is an example of how allies can successfully coordinate their national efforts to address common security challenges.“ This was said by Deputy Minister of Defense Lyubomir Monov at the ceremony of the Republic of Bulgaria taking over the command of the Naval Mine Countermeasures Group from the Republic of Turkey. The previous commander of the tactical formation, Rear Admiral Ozgur Erken, handed over the flag and the group's book of honor to the new commander, Captain 1st Rank Petar Dimitrov.
„Over the past two years, the Mine Countermeasures Group has successfully completed ten activations in the Black Sea. Its actions have confirmed that unity in efforts to guarantee freedom of navigation remains our greatest strength. The newly accepted tasks of contributing to the protection of critical underwater infrastructure by providing surveillance, reconnaissance and survey will demonstrate the importance of MCM Black Sea for the overall security of the region“, said the Deputy Minister of Defense.“
„During the Bulgarian command of the Mine Countermeasures Group, there will be three activations - in July, in October and in November, during which the group will participate in international exercises“, indicated the Commander of the Naval Forces, Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov. He noted that with its activities, MCM Black Sea is an excellent example of cooperation in responding to the threat of drifting mines in the western part of the Black Sea, which has developed into a factor of regional and global importance, ensuring the safety and security of shipping.
In the coming days, the ships of the Mine Countermeasures Group will participate in the national exercise of the Navy with international participation, "Breeze 2026", and after its completion, the crews will continue with the implementation of the assigned tasks in the Black Sea.
