site.btaDefence Minister Says Bulgaria Plans to Acquire Minehunters from Belgium, Netherlands

Speaking here on Saturday, Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov said that the governments of Belgium and the Netherlands are expected to decide soon whether to decommission minehunters that Bulgaria plans to acquire. Zapryanov made the statement during an event marking the 146th anniversary of the Bulgarian Navy.

Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov also attended the celebration and extended his congratulations to the personnel of the combat fleet.

Zapryanov said that although the minehunters are second-hand, they will undergo modernization and enhance the capabilities of the Bulgarian military fleet. He added that even if the war in Ukraine ends, the threat of naval mines in the Black Sea will persist.