site.btaParliament Authorizes Deployment of US Aircraft, Military Personnel at Bezmer Air Base in Support of US Middle East Operations

Parliament on Wednesday authorized the presence in Bulgaria of up to eight US Air Force KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft and up to 250 US military personnel at Bezmer Air Base from July 24 to October 1, 2026, in support of US operations in the Middle East. 

The proposal was submitted by the Council of Ministers.

The decision was approved by 136 MPs: 121 from Progressive Bulgaria and 15 from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). Thirteen MPs voted against the proposal - the Vazrazhdane parliamentary group and one Progressive Bulgaria MP, while two Progressive Bulgaria MPs abstained.

GERB-UDF, Democratic Bulgaria and Continue the Change did not take part in the vote.

Addressing GERB-UDF MPs in a video livestreamed on Facebook on Wednesday, GERB Chair Boyko Borissov called on President Iliana Iotova to convene the Consultative Council on National Security ahead of the vote in order to disclose everything that is currently being kept from the public.

The request is based on a Bulgaria-US agreement on the joint use of facilities in Bulgaria, signed in 2006 and made open-ended in 2016, according to Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov.

Speaking ahead of the vote in Parliament, Stoyanov told MPs the decision would not undermine Bulgaria's national sovereignty, stressing that Parliament has the authority to amend all parameters set out in the US diplomatic note, including the number of military personnel, whether to authorize the deployment of the US aerial refuelling aircraft, and the duration of their stay.

Urging MPs to approve the deployment of US tanker aircraft, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said that it is absolutely out of the question for combat operations in the Middle East to be conducted from Bulgarian territory and emphasized that the deployment of US tanker aircraft at Bezmer Air Base is solely for logistical missions involving in-flight refuelling outside Bulgarian airspace.

 Opposition in Parliament Sees Risk of War

The risk of war is "at Bulgaria's doorstep", Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov said after Parliament approved the deployment of US aircraft at Bezmer Air Base.

Kostadinov said that, unlike a previous diplomatic note, which he claimed had been concealed, the latest note from Iran had been delivered directly to the National Assembly by the Iranian ambassador and handed to Progressive Bulgaria Floor Leader Petar Vitanov.

Local Residents Protest Decision

Mayors of all five municipalities in Yambol Region have issued a joint statement opposing the deployment of US aerial refuelling aircraft at Bezmer Air Base. The statement, signed by the mayors of Yambol, Tundzha, Straldzha, Elhovo, and Bolyarovo points out that residents expressed serious concerns about the possible consequences of the deployment, and argued that stationing military aircraft and personnel linked to operations in an active conflict zone could create additional risks and tensions for the region and the country.

The mayors called on Bulgaria's Parliament, government, and relevant institutions to consider the views of local authorities and residents before making a final decision. The mayors stressed that Bulgaria is a peaceful country and that its foreign and defence policy should prioritize citizens' security and avoid direct or indirect involvement in conflicts that do not concern the country directly.

Residents of the village of Bezmer started a petition against the deployment and are considering protests, said the Bezmer Mayor.