site.btaPM Zhelyazkov: No GPS Interference Detected during “Plovdiv Landing”

The onboard systems of the aircraft which brought European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to Bulgaria’s Plovdiv Airport on August 31 were fully operational, the flight was continuously monitored by the Air Traffic Services Authority (ATSA), and the plane remained visible to airspace surveillance systems; the delay of the flight was approximately 5 minutes, which is within the permissible limit, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said in the debating chamber of the National Assembly on Thursday.

He was answering questions from MP Atanas Atanassov (Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria) regarding the reported loss of satellite GPS signal to the navigation system of von der Leyen’s plane as it approached Plovdiv Airport. The Financial Times said that "a suspected Russian interference attack targeting Ursula von der Leyen disabled GPS navigation services at a Bulgarian airport".

In his remarks to the National Assembly on Thursday, the Prime Minister also said that following an urgent operational discussion, information was reviewed from agencies with jurisdiction over radio frequency spectrum control: the Communications Regulation Commission, the State Agency for National Security and ATSA. According to their data, no GPS interference or spoofing affecting air navigation and landing systems was detected in the area of Plovdiv Airport, Zhelyazkov reported.

He added that no reports of such disruptions were received from other aircraft flying in the region during the specified time period. From the communications between the captain, the crew, and air traffic controllers, there were no signs of concern or distress from the pilot. Situations involving temporary GPS signal loss are regularly practiced, and standard procedures are in place, the Prime Minister assured.

Throughout the entire duration of the flight, the aircraft’s transponder was transmitting consistently with good GPS signal quality. There were no indications of prolonged interference or jamming, Zhelyazkov emphasized. He also noted that partial or complete GPS outages are common in Europe, including Bulgaria, particularly in densely populated areas. Once again, he reiterated that the 5-minute delay was within the allowable timeframe.

Aeronautical events involving GPS signal interference are not classified as incidents requiring mandatory investigation under current regulations, the Prime Minister explained. He stressed that such occurrences are not treated as “incidents”, as all necessary systems and procedures are in place to ensure flight safety. The final decision regarding the need for investigation lies with the National Board for Investigation of Accidents in Air, Water, and Rail Transport.

The Civil Aviation Administration has already conducted the necessary inspection, Zhelyazkov concluded.