The resolution adopted by the European Parliament on Thursday urging Bulgaria not to delay joining NATO’s counter-drone initiative is a political attack on the government, Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov told reporters at Cheshnegirovo Air Base on Friday. He said the attack was organized by what he called the second version of the political grouping which used to operate in Bulgaria through protests and was now doing so in the European Parliament.
He stressed that Bulgaria had submitted its application to join the project after assessing the funding required and the country’s ability to allocate the necessary resources. It makes no sense for countries that are not NATO members to tell Bulgaria to join an Alliance project, he said.
Commenting on criticism from GERB, Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria over the delay, Stoyanov noted that the project dated back to February 2025, when those political forces had been in government, but had taken no action.
Work is continuing on the Malta-flagged vessel Chelsea-3, with representatives of the Military Police, Military Intelligence and the Military Prosecution Office involved, the minister said. The vessel was hit by a drone on October 13.
If the investigation establishes that the attack was carried out by a Russian drone, this will be stated and the attack condemned, just as it would be if another country were responsible, Stoyanov said. There is no double standard when national security is at stake: the only standard is Bulgaria’s national interest, he added.
He stressed that information from the investigation would be released exclusively by the Military Prosecution Office.
Defence Minister Stoyanov and the Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, observed a demonstration of the capabilities of participants in NATO SOFCOM’s Special Operations Air-Land Integration experimental exercise BOLD ADRA (BOAD 26) at Cheshnegirovo Air Base.
Defence Minister Calls European Parliament Resolution “Political Attack” on Government 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-23 10:37:35
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BULGARIA NEWS – NEWS AGENCY 2009–2026 2026-10-23 10:37:35
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