site.btaDefence Minister Meets with Polish Ambassador ahead of His Term's End

At a meeting with Polish Ambassador to Bulgaria Maciej Szymanski here on Friday, Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov expressed his gratitude for the extremely fruitful cooperation during the Ambassador's term in Bulgaria. Szymanski will leave the country after six years as head of the mission in Sofia, the Defence Ministry said in a press release. 

The sides described the bilateral cooperation in the field of defence as excellent and stable, emphasizing the significant achievements made thanks to their shared positions in assessments and views, as well as in promoting and pursuing policies of mutual interest in an allied format. Minister Zapryanov said that the Bulgarian government considers Poland a priority partner and emphasized its contribution to the maintenance of the Bulgarian combat aviation with the repair work carried out in Polish military factories. He also recalled the decision on the derogation for defence spending taken during the Polish EU Council Presidency and described it as a successful joint initiative beneficial to all Member States.

The talks also covered the potential for deepening cooperation between the defence industries of the two countries and the opportunities for financing and joint procurement provided by the SAFE mechanism for strengthening the European defence industry. The role of Bulgaria and Poland in implementing NATO's deterrence and defence policies was also discussed, as well as Bulgaria's significant contribution to ensuring security and stability on the Alliance's eastern flank.