Balgarianovinite.com Residents of the Yambol village of Bezmer (Southeastern Bulgaria) hold differing views on the deployment of U.S. tanker aircraft at the air base located in the immediate vicinity of the village. There are already calls to organize protests against such a decision by the Bulgarian Government, Bezmer Mayor Rosen Rusev told a BTA reporter on Tuesday.
The Government’s proposal is linked to a diplomatic note received from the United States requesting that the tanker aircraft, military personnel with personal weapons and ammunition, as well as the necessary airport equipment, be deployed at Bezmer Air Base for the period from July 24 to October 1, 2026, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Monday. The aim is to provide support for U.S. operations in the Middle East.
The issue has sparked differing opinions and political reactions, and the parliamentary defence committee is expected to issue its opinion on Tuesday. The presence of the tanker aircraft at Bezmer does not make Bulgaria a party to the military operations in Iran, President Iliana Iotova said on Tuesday during a visit to the Graf Ignatievo Third Air Base.
According to the Bezmer Mayor, people’s main concerns are related to the possibility that the region could become a potential target in the military conflict between the United States and Iran. “Since these tankers will be refuelling aircraft that will most likely support the conflict there, I am certain that many more people will raise their voices on this issue,” the Bezmer Mayor said. He added that local residents are also expecting answers from MPs representing the Yambol Region.
“Whatever is decided will be done. These decisions are made above our level. Sometimes the aircraft flying overhead create noise, but we are used to it, and there are not that many flights now,” said Ivanka Gospodinova, who has lived in the village for 50 years.
“We cannot want to be in NATO and then refuse to give anything in return,” another man in the village square commented. “It is not a matter of choice – it is politics. Naturally, we have concerns about security,” he said.
“We do not agree – why in Bulgaria Our country is falling apart, and they are focused on the aircraft. We do not even have proper roads or anything else. Prices keep going up for everything,” another Bezmer resident said.
“The American aircraft do not worry me. There have been aircraft in Bezmer since 1951, and we are used to them,” another one commented.
The Bezmer Mayor also noted that aircraft have been operating near the village for more than 70 years, since the air base was built. “There have always been aircraft and international exercises, but when it is a peacetime exercise, that is perfectly normal. In this case, you can see what is happening in the world – most people here see this as a potential threat to their security,” Rusev added.
“I have no concerns – they are not going to attack. The Americans have not done anything bad here. The Bulgarians did – they destroyed and looted everything in Garadoka [former military residential complex]. Let the aircraft come – at least they might do something good. But if their military personnel enter Garadoka, they will run back to America on foot,” said Marina Tsvetkova, a Russian woman who has lived in Garadoka near the air base for 30 years.
Opinions also differ on whether Bulgaria should seek the lifting of U.S. visa requirements in return. “With visas or without visas, I do not know how many people from Bezmer have travelled to the United States. They are hardly interested in that. Becoming a target is worse than any social benefit,” the Mayor noted.
According to him, local residents also do not believe promises that the deployment of U.S. aircraft and military personnel will bring investment and benefits to the area. “A few years ago, when major repairs were carried out at the air base, they caused more damage to the civilian infrastructure. The community did not see any positive impact in terms of infrastructure investment,” the Bezmer Mayor added.
The Yambol branch of the Vazrazhdane party also issued an official statement. “We are categorically opposed to basing American tanker aircraft at Bezmer Air Base. This creates the conditions for Yambol and the region to become a legitimate target. Human life comes before agreements,” said Stoyan Marinov, Chair of the party’s local branch and a municipal councillor in the Tundzha Municipality, where the village of Bezmer is located. Residents of Bezmer Village Divided over Deployment of U.S. Aircraft at Nearby Air Base 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-21 14:06:15 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