site.btaDefence Minister: Situation at Bezmer Air Base Is Calm

The situation at Bezmer Air Base is calm, with two US tanker aircraft deployed there and no incidents reported, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said on Tuesday.

Stoyanov discussed the situation at the military airfield and the development of the Kabile military base with representatives of the local authorities.

On July 22, the National Assembly approved the deployment in Bulgaria of up to eight Boeing KC-135 aerial refuelling tankers. In late July, residents of the village of Bezmer and nearby settlements, including the regional capital Yambol, protested against the deployment of the US aircraft. 

The Minister said during a previous visit to the base he promised to be back, and he has delivered on the promise. 

He said the two aircraft at Bezmer are mainly conducting flights north and northwest. Asked whether more aircraft are expected, given earlier reports that up to eight could be deployed, Stoyanov said the US side had so far indicated that between two and four aircraft could be stationed there, but the expectation is that there will be two.

The Defence Minister said he had also discussed the development of the Kabile military area (Southeastern Bulgaria) with Yambol Mayor Valentin Revanski and Tundzha Mayor Stancho Stavrev. He said there was no reason for concern, noting that a multinational battlegroup has been stationed in Novo Selo training range without any incidents so far.

A concept for the future development of the Kabile military base has been presented, Stoyanov said. The process will include design work, which will take at least a year, while more detailed information is expected to be available in the coming months.

Funding of EUR 200 million for Kabile is expected under a NATO programme, the Defence Minister said.

In late January, Parliament ratified an agreement between Bulgaria and Italy on the joint construction and use of facilities in the Kabile military area.