site.btaEU Success Lies in Preserved Dignity of Each Member State, MEP Yoncheva Tells von der Leyen in Strasbourg

Elena Yoncheva, a non-attached Member of the European Parliament (Movement for Rights and Freedoms), addressed, in the plenary hall in Strasbourg, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asking her to confirm from the podium that there had been no breach of security during her flight to Bulgaria, a statement from the MEP's office on Wednesday quoted Yoncheva as saying. Yoncheva repeated her appeal in French, adding that the security of Bulgarian aviation is part of the security of Europe.

Yoncheva recalled that during von der Leyen's visit to Bulgaria on August 31, news agencies reported false information that her plane had circled over Plovdiv for an hour due to a possible GPS signal jam. 

“You know that this false information dealt a serious blow to Bulgaria's image. So far, you have not commented on this. For ten days now, Bulgaria's name has been associated with this so-called news,” she added. 

“In this complicated geopolitical situation, any misinformation can lead to dangerous consequences and reactions. Bulgaria is one of the safest areas in aviation,” Yoncheva said. She added that the success of the EU lies in the strength and preserved dignity of each Member State. 

She was one of two Bulgarian speakers during the debates following Ursula von der Leyen's 2025 State of the Union Address at the start of the new political season.

Yoncheva, together with a group of MEPs, also submitted a written question to the European Commission on the subject.

Later on Wednesday evening, MEPs will debate the sustained threat of satellite navigation interference to planes and ships and the need for Europe to counter spoofing and jamming. European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius will participate in the discussion.