site.btaBulgaria Awaits Technical Assistance to Establish Facts about Black Sea Attack

Bulgaria expects technical assistance from partner organizations to establish what happened when two merchant ships were struck by drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea and, if debris is recovered, determine its origin, Transport and Communications Minister Georgi Peev told reporters on Thursday. He was speaking at the Hyatt Regency Sofia, where Bulgaria is hosting an international ministerial conference on Corridor VIII.

Peev said the entire 18-member crew of one of the ships attacked in the Black Sea had been rescued.

The Executive Agency Maritime Administration was responsible for the rescue operation and for managing vessel traffic within the 12-nautical-mile zone, Peev said. He described the rescue operation as professional and thanked the agency staff involved, as well as the Bulgarian Navy and Air Force.

Peev said no assumptions should be made at this stage about the origin of the drones linked to the attacks. Bulgaria was awaiting technical assistance from partner organizations to establish the circumstances and, if debris was found, determine where it came from.

"We need facts and evidence so that we can be certain where the attack came from," Peev said, adding that the incident was worrying regardless of the drones’ origin.

Asked about the second vessel and the possibility that it could sink, Peev said he had no updated information but that this was highly likely because of the serious damage it had sustained. Only preliminary information was currently available about its cargo, he said, declining to comment on its origin before the investigation was completed.

On Corridor VIII, Peev said the first concrete steps had already been taken. Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia have established joint committees that have held two meetings, in Sofia and Skopje, and drawn up a specific action plan.

Projects along the corridor are progressing at an accelerated pace, he said, with implementation deadlines included in the next financial framework through 2034.

The biggest challenge is the joint tunnel facility between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, Peev said. Bulgaria will be the lead country in implementing the project, launching the relevant procedures and taking the leading role in its execution.

Peev added that there was now the necessary political will to implement Corridor VIII, as well as financial support from the European Commission. He said the corridor was no longer important solely for transport connectivity but also for regional security.

"We are in a key location. We are not talking only about connectivity, but about security," Peev said, noting that against the backdrop of conflicts and wars near Bulgaria, regional security was no less important than connectivity.