Balgarianovinite.com Residents of the villages of Skobelevo, Bozadzhii and Chokoba in Sliven Region are collecting signatures against the deployment of US Boeing KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft at Bezmer Air Base in the neighbouring Yambol Region, Skobelevo Mayor Stelli Stefanova told BTA on Thursday.
She said the initiative began on Thursday morning, and around 30 signatures were collected by the afternoon from residents of Skobelevo and Bozadzhii. The petition will be sent to the Defence Ministry or handed personally to the Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov when he visits Yambol.
The local residents’ main concerns are related to security. They believe that deploying aircraft would turn the area into a potential military target.
“People are worried about what could happen in the event of a military conflict – whether we could be affected by a strike, fires or other consequences. Skobelevo is only about two kilometres from the air base as the crow flies,” Stefanova said.
Residents are also concerned that the operations of the hail suppression site in the territory of Bozadzhii may be restricted. According to Stefanova, the area is entirely agricultural and local people rely on the production of wheat, barley, maize, sunflower, rapeseed, vegetables and fruit.
“There are concerns that restricting hail suppression would cause serious damage to crops,” she said. Stefanova recalled an incident in late May when a malfunction in the system resulted in a severe hailstorm and significant damage to agricultural produce.
According to Stefanova, residents have endured inconvenience caused by the air base’s activities for years because of frequent flights and noise. She said exercises are conducted both during the day and at night, and aircraft sometimes fly at very low altitude over the village.
The Mayor also recalled that promises had been made years ago to improve local infrastructure when the base was made available, including the road between Bozadzhii and Bezmer, but these had not been fulfilled.
Skobelevo has a population of around 300, including four foreign families.
More than 500 signatures were collected in the village of Bezmer in less than 24 hours against the deployment of the US aerial refuelling aircraft at the nearby air base. A protest by local residents is planned on Friday on the road leading to the military airfield, Bezmer Mayor Rosen Rusev told BTA.
On July 22, the mayors of the five municipalities in Yambol Region – Yambol, Tundzha, Straldzha, Elhovo and Bolyarovo – issued a joint statement opposing the deployment of US aerial refuelling aircraft at Bezmer Air Base. Three Villages in Sliven Region Collect Signatures against US Aircraft Deployment at Bezmer 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-23 17:44:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law