"We reject the practice of making joint decisions behind the backs of Bulgarian citizens. That is why we submitted the request to the National Assembly, where the representatives of the people will speak. As you know, the Bulgarian government informed the public about the request of our allies to deploy tanker planes at the “Bezmer“ airport.
This was stated by Prime Minister Rumen Radev before the start of the meeting of the Council of Ministers.
He recalled that two months ago, an inadequate decision was corrected by a cabinet decision. "These same tanker planes, even in twice the number, should be deployed at the Sofia civil airport, among civilian passenger planes, in close proximity to busy terminals and to the capital, flying over the center of Sofia", the Prime Minister emphasized.
According to him, Bulgaria and the United States have a signed security agreement since 2006, which also covers the "Bezmer" airport. "We abide by our commitments and rely on our allies to fulfill theirs whenever we need them. Despite the behavior of politicians who create and instil uncertainty abroad and work against the country's authority, Bulgaria remains a predictable partner. Any populism on the topic of security brings irresponsibility", the Prime Minister emphasized. And he expressed confidence that the long-term positioning of our country will prevail over demagogy.
"Bulgaria values its good relations with both the United States and Iran. It is categorically ruled out that combat operations in the Middle East will be conducted from Bulgarian territory. These tanker aircraft are intended solely for logistical missions and their refueling will take place outside Bulgarian airspace. Both the United States and Iran bear a huge responsibility before every inhabitant of the planet, because a war in the Middle East could have unpredictable global consequences," the Prime Minister stated.
And he made an appeal: "It is time to stop looking at each other through the sights of weapons. Bulgaria calls on the parties to the conflict to take a step back. This is in the interest of Europe. This is also our Bulgarian interest".