site.btaForeign Minister: Information about Alleged Interest in Croatia-Kosovo-Albania Defence Cooperation Declaration Inaccurate

Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev Tuesday said information suggesting that Bulgaria has expressed unofficial interest in the Declaration on Strengthening Defence Cooperation between Croatia, Kosovo and Albania is inaccurate. He replied in writing to MPs Djipo Djipov and Elisaveta Belobradova of Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria.

The reply is available on the National Assembly's website.

Bulgaria is aware of the initiative of Albania, Croatia and Kosovo and is carefully analysing the text of the Joint Declaration signed by the defence ministers of the three countries in Tirana on March 18, 2025. The public information suggesting that Bulgaria has expressed unofficial interest in joining the declaration is inaccurate, Georgiev explained. The Foreign Ministry received an official copy of the signed document via a note verbale from the Embassy of Albania in Sofia on March 25. At no point has the Ministry, or the Bulgarian side, been approached or consulted in relation to the initiative by its proponents, nor has any official invitation to join been extended, said Georgiev.

In March, Albanian Defence Minister Pirro Vengu said Bulgaria had shown interest in the initiative. Likewise, Kosovo's Defence Minister noted that Bulgaria had shown interest.

Bulgaria maintains excellent bilateral relations with each of the three countries - two of them are NATO Allies, and a Bulgarian military contingent is part of the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (KFOR), whose primary task is to ensure peace and stability, Georgiev said.

The purpose of the declaration is to strengthen cooperation between the three countries and to create a framework for joint responses to security challenges, hybrid threats and other risks to regional stability. The document envisages enhanced cooperation between defence industries, greater interoperability through education, training and joint exercises, and full support for Euro-Atlantic integration, according to the Croatian Defence Ministry's website.

Regarding the defence cooperation agreement between Serbia and Hungary, signed on April 1, Georgiev said he could not comment on a bilateral document to which Bulgaria is not a party.