Balgarianovinite.com A Financial Times report that Iranian forces had assessed striking US military assets in Bulgaria prompted security, political and regional responses on Wednesday. Bulgarian authorities tightened protection at Bezmer Air Base but ruled out a direct threat to national security, three political parties criticized the government or demanded answers, and Greece was reported to be considering Patriot assistance for Bulgaria.
Citing “two regime insiders”, the Financial Times said that “Iranian forces had assessed striking US assets in south-eastern European countries such as Bulgaria”, which had approved the use of Bezmer Air Base for US refuelling aircraft. One of the sources also identified Cyprus as a possible target for retaliation in the event of a renewed US offensive.
On July 22, Parliament authorized the deployment of up to eight US Air Force KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft and up to 250 US military personnel at Bezmer from July 24 to October 1, 2026, in support of US operations in the Middle East.
Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said the Bezmer security measures had been coordinated with the Ministry of Defence under the direction of the Prime Minister and included precautions addressing a much higher threat level than that indicated by the available information.
“We are constantly monitoring the situation and developments and will continue to take precautionary measures that are far more extensive and intensive than the level of threat indicated by the information available at the moment,” Demerdzhiev said.
At a separate briefing, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov ruled out danger to the country. “There is no direct threat to national security,” Stoyanov said, adding that NATO had expressed readiness to respond to any threat.
Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov used the Vazrazhdane response to accuse the ruling Progressive Bulgaria party of endangering the country. “Promoting foreign interests in national policy always leads to the failure of governance,” Kostadinov said. “The policies of Progressive Bulgaria are destroying Bulgarian sovereignty, turning Bulgaria not into a state but into a colonial territory.”
Continue the Change (CC) accused Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s government of dragging the country into a war. “The Financial Times found Bezmer on the world map. Because Iran found it,” CC Chair Assen Vassilev said in the CC response. CC Floor Leader Nikolay Denkov wrote: “The government’s inept approach to foreign policy inevitably leads to increased security risks.”
Yes, Bulgaria Co-Chair Ivaylo Mirchev criticized the response, saying a deputy defence minister should already have been at NATO headquarters for urgent consultations with Bulgaria’s allies instead of the public receiving only vaguely defined information about security measures around Bezmer. He said the Financial Times report “should not be irresponsibly brushed aside or taken lightly” and called on Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova to seek an explanation from the Iranian ambassador regarding “Tehran’s ongoing provocations against Bulgaria”.
GERB said in its party position that the report required an immediate and clear government response. It called for Parliament to be informed of the actual threat level and the measures taken and urged the Foreign Ministry to summon the Iranian ambassador and seek an official explanation from Tehran.
GERB said it would not call for Bulgaria to abandon its allied commitments under threat. “But we will not accept the government hiding behind NATO without explaining what it has agreed, what guarantees it has received and how it will protect Bulgarian citizens,” the party said.
Meanwhile, the Greek Ministry of National Defence was evaluating possible Patriot assistance to strengthen Bulgaria’s anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic protection, pending a Bulgarian request and approval by Greece’s Government Council for National Security, ANA-MPA reported, citing ministry sources.
The sources said Greece was also considering relocating the Patriot battery stationed on Karpathos island to Souda, Crete. Four Hellenic Air Force F-16 fighter jets and the Hellenic Navy frigate “Nikiforos Fokas” remained in the area to help protect Cyprus. Report That Iran Assessed US Assets in Bulgaria Prompts Bezmer Measures, Political Reactions; Ministers Say No Direct Threat 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-08-19 16:36:00 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