Balgarianovinite.com Bulgaria’s Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov and Youth and Sports Minister Encho Keryazov met on Friday with mayors from the southeastern Yambol Region to discuss the planned deployment of US Boeing KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft and up to 250 US military personnel at Bezmer Air Base.
The meeting at the Yambol Regional Administration was attended by the mayors of Yambol, Tundzha, Straldzha, Elhovo and Bolyarovo. Rosen Rusev, Mayor of the village of Bezmer, and mayors of nearby villages presented the Defence Minister with a petition signed by 3,249 residents of 26 villages in the region opposing the deployment of the US aircraft.
The meeting was also attended by the Bulgarian Air Force Deputy Commander, Brigadier General Dimitar Georgiev.
Before the meeting, Stoyanov said he had come “to hear the people, reassure them and provide the necessary information to the mayors”.
Tundzha Mayor Stancho Stavrev said the five municipalities had adopted a common position because the planned deployment had not been communicated in advance to local authorities or residents. He said they expected the decision to be reconsidered in line with public expectations.
Speaking after the meeting, Stoyanov described the talks as highly productive and said they should have been held earlier. He expressed hope that the information provided had reassured local representatives and helped dispel what he described as largely unfounded concerns.
The Defence Minister stressed that Bulgaria was not a target and would not become one as a result of the deployment. He said the government’s decision, subsequently approved by Parliament, was the correct one and was not expected to be reconsidered. Bulgaria, as a NATO ally, was fulfilling its commitments while respecting the needs of its strategic partner, the United States, he added.
Stoyanov said the US aircraft were not expected to arrive on Friday but likely next week. Their deployment is scheduled to end on October 1. Any extension of the deployment or any change in the number of aircraft or military personnel would require a new decision by Parliament.
Asked where the aircraft would be refuelled, Stoyanov said the decision rested entirely with the US side, although expectations were that refuelling would take place at Bezmer Air Base.
Encho Keryazov, a former deputy mayor of Yambol, said he personally had no concerns about the deployment of the US aircraft. He said he hoped the mayors had received clear answers and felt more reassured. While they had reasons for their concerns, they should draw their own conclusions after the meeting rather than rely on online posts or rumours, he added, stressing the importance of knowing the facts.
Bezmer Mayor Rosen Rusev said he felt more reassured after the meeting, adding that the Defence Minister told local representatives that the highest possible security measures had been taken. Rusev said the Minister had explained that the decision had been difficult but was the right one under the current circumstances. He added that he would convey the information to local residents, although he expected opinions in the village to remain divided.
On Thursday, Skobelevo Mayor Stelli Stefanova told BTA that residents of three villages in Sliven Region were collecting signatures against the deployment of US tanker aircraft in the neighbouring Yambol Region. Their main concerns are related to security as they believe that the area would become a potential military target. They are also concerned that the operations of the local hail suppression site may be restricted. Defence Minister Reassures Yambol Region Mayors over Planned Deployment of US Aircraft at Bezmer Air Base 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-24 17:03:00 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