U.S. planes at Sofia airport cannot carry out strikes, minister says

American military aircraft stationed at Vasil Levski Sofia Airport are for logistical purposes only and cannot carry out strikes, said Bulgaria’s caretaker defence minister, Atanas Zapryanov.

In response to a parliamentary question, Mr Zapryanov explained that the aircraft were taking part in a NATO allied air force exercise based at the civilian airport in Sofia, according to the Bulgarian News Agency BTA.

He confirmed that the order to allow the U.S. aircraft to be stationed at the airport had been issued on 17 February by the previous government under Rosen Zhelyazkov, when Zapryanov also served as defence minister.

Earlier, caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov told Bulgarian National Radio that the government was seeking ways to move the aircraft from the civilian airport in Sofia and had asked the defence ministry to analyse alternative locations.

Permission for the aircraft to remain at the airport expires on 31 May 2026.

Editor: Miglena Ivanova