site.btaDistinguished Visitors Day Held During Breeze 2025 Naval Exercise with International Participation

The Distinguished Visitors Day of the Breeze 2025 national naval exercise with international participation started on Friday in the presence of Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. Among the guests were also Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov, Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev, and Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov. The Prime Minister was welcomed with a military ceremony at the Port Terminal in Varna.

From the deck of the Bulgarian Navy frigate Verni, guests and media representatives will observe various maritime training episodes. Participants in the exercise will demonstrate their capabilities in executing joint tasks and a high level of interoperability. Demonstrated scenarios will include firefighting on a commercial vessel, response to incidents involving merchant ships, repelling attacks by surface drones and airborne threats, neutralizing a sea mine, and other operations.

The 29th edition of the Breeze exercise involves military personnel from Albania, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, the United States, Turkiye, and France. Over 1,500 service members are taking part in the drills. For the second consecutive year, the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Group (MCM BLACK SEA) is also participating.

Breeze 2025 includes the participation of 18 combat and support ships and boats, four aircraft, and two helicopters. Representatives from four ministries and 28 organizations are also involved. The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) is again among the participating institutions.

During the course of the exercise, the Naval Tactical Group for Special Operations will be certified in line with NATO standards.

The exercise is taking place from July 7 to July 20.