Bulgaria to raise Black Sea security concerns with the UN

Bulgaria will refer the issue of increasingly frequent attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea to the United Nations Security Council. Bulgria's President Iliana Iotova announced this in an interview with Nova TV following the attacks on two commercial vessels off the Bulgarian coast on October 13.

Two more commercial ships hit near Bulgarian waters in Black Sea

Drone-struck ships in latest Black Sea attack were empty

Bulgaria is also working to have an extraordinary item on maritime security added to the agenda of the upcoming European Council meeting. Invoking Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty is also an option, although such a step must be carefully considered and would carry greater weight if taken jointly by several countries, the Bulgarian head of state added.

In an interview with Bulgarian National Television (BNT), the president said that a joint text had been agreed with her Romanian and Turkish counterparts. On October 14, Iotova is also due to hold a further conversation with Romanian President Nicușor Dan. The aim is to establish a moratorium on the use of drones against commercial shipping and civilian infrastructure in the Black Sea and to halt hostilities over the sea, Iotova explained, as quoted by the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

President Iotova: War escalation turns the Black Sea into a military zone

The president also recalled that the defence ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye had held talks on joint action. A meeting on Black Sea security is expected to take place within the next ten days to identify specific measures.

Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania to take joint action to enhance Black Sea security

Edited by Ivo Ivanov