Balgarianovinite.com Parliament on Wednesday authorized the presence in Bulgaria of up to eight US Air Force KC-135 aerial refuelling aircraft and up to 250 US military personnel at Bezmer Air Base from July 24 to October 1, 2026, in support of US operations in the Middle East.
The proposal was submitted by the Council of Ministers.
The decision was approved by 136 MPs: 121 from Progressive Bulgaria and 15 from the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF). Thirteen MPs voted against the proposal – the Vazrazhdane parliamentary group and one Progressive Bulgaria MP, while two Progressive Bulgaria MPs abstained.
GERB-UDF, Democratic Bulgaria and Continue the Change did not take part in the vote.
Addressing GERB-UDF MPs in a video livestreamed on Facebook on Wednesday, GERB Chair Boyko Borissov called on President Iliana Iotova to convene the Consultative Council on National Security ahead of the vote in order to disclose everything that is currently being kept from the public.
The request is based on a Bulgaria-US agreement on the joint use of facilities in Bulgaria, signed in 2006 and made open-ended in 2016, according to Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov.
Speaking ahead of the vote in Parliament, Stoyanov told MPs the decision would not undermine Bulgaria’s national sovereignty, stressing that Parliament has the authority to amend all parameters set out in the US diplomatic note, including the number of military personnel, whether to authorize the deployment of the US aerial refuelling aircraft, and the duration of their stay.
Urging MPs to approve the deployment of US tanker aircraft, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said that it is absolutely out of the question for combat operations in the Middle East to be conducted from Bulgarian territory and emphasized that the deployment of US tanker aircraft at Bezmer Air Base is solely for logistical missions involving in-flight refuelling outside Bulgarian airspace.
Opposition in Parliament Sees Risk of War
The risk of war is “at Bulgaria’s doorstep”, Vazrazhdane leader Kostadin Kostadinov said after Parliament approved the deployment of US aircraft at Bezmer Air Base.
Kostadinov said that, unlike a previous diplomatic note, which he claimed had been concealed, the latest note from Iran had been delivered directly to the National Assembly by the Iranian ambassador and handed to Progressive Bulgaria Floor Leader Petar Vitanov.
Local Residents Protest Decision
Mayors of all five municipalities in Yambol Region have issued a joint statement opposing the deployment of US aerial refuelling aircraft at Bezmer Air Base. The statement, signed by the mayors of Yambol, Tundzha, Straldzha, Elhovo, and Bolyarovo points out that residents expressed serious concerns about the possible consequences of the deployment, and argued that stationing military aircraft and personnel linked to operations in an active conflict zone could create additional risks and tensions for the region and the country.
The mayors called on Bulgaria’s Parliament, government, and relevant institutions to consider the views of local authorities and residents before making a final decision. The mayors stressed that Bulgaria is a peaceful country and that its foreign and defence policy should prioritize citizens’ security and avoid direct or indirect involvement in conflicts that do not concern the country directly.
Residents of the village of Bezmer started a petition against the deployment and are considering protests, said the Bezmer Mayor. Parliament Authorizes Deployment of US Aircraft, Military Personnel at Bezmer Air Base In Support of US Middle East Operations 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-22 17:58:00 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