site.btaVazrazhdane Calls against Signing Cooperation Memorandum with Turkiye on Airspace Security

Vazrazhdane insists that the Memorandum of Understanding between the governments of Bulgaria and Turkiye on cross-border airspace security operations should not be signed. On Friday, they read out a declaration to that effect in Parliament, where they describe the document as "an extremely shameful decision".

The Council of Ministers approved the draft MoU between the two governments regarding cross-border airspace security operations on Thursday.

Vazrazhdane sees a connection between the approval of the memorandum and Turkiye’s request for the extradition of the four Bulgarian former border guards, and urges the government to reconsider the signing of the document before it is too late. "Ultimately, what needs to be done is to take urgent action to improve national defence with national forces," the declaration said.

Last week, Turkiye issued a red notice for the search, surrender and extradition of four Bulgarian former border guards, who have been charged by Turkiye with the death of a Turkish poacher in 2008. The case in Bulgaria ended for lack of a crime, and the Strasbourg court acquitted the border guards.

Vazrazhdane raised the issue of crashes caused by Turkish drivers in Bulgaria. "Dozens of accidents caused by Turkish citizens take place in Bulgaria every year, the conviction rate in these cases in our country is very low," their declaration says.