No combat aircraft are flying over Bulgaria, says Deputy Foreign Minister Raykov

“No combat aircraft are flying over Bulgaria, and no combat aircraft are being refueled over Bulgaria to participate in military operations,” said Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marin Raykov during a briefing at the Council of Ministers.

Marin Raykov emphasized that there are no grounds for increased concern among Bulgarian citizens regarding the aircraft at Sofia Airport which are part of NATO’s forward deployment. He noted that Bulgaria maintains intact diplomatic relations with Iran and that there has been no downgrade in the level of these relations. According to him, communication with Iran continues in a natural manner, in line with the specific international situation.

The diplomat also pointed out that, unlike other countries, including some neighboring states, the Bulgarian parliament has not approved any decision to support military actions in the Strait of Hormuz.

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The statement was made in response to a protest note from Iran to Sofia dated March 18, which was presented in the Bulgarian parliament. “This note is a fact, but it should not be viewed as a reason for heightened concern regarding the possibility of our country being drawn into situations that could be used to exploit the fears of Bulgarian citizens”, Marin Raykov added.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov