Bulgaria is collecting evidence on attacks against commercial ships in the Black Sea, but it still has no conclusive information about the origin of the drones used. Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova said the country’s position reflects the developments and the need to establish the facts before drawing conclusions.
The first attack was recorded on October 6 in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, when two commercial ships were hit. A new incident was reported on October 13 in the immediate vicinity of Bulgarian territorial waters. The total number of affected vessels consequently reached three. Bulgarian authorities are calling for the circumstances surrounding all the attacks to be clarified.
“The origin of the drones and the circumstances surrounding the attacks must be established,” Petrova said after meeting German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Berlin. She stressed that security in the Black Sea is directly linked to Europe’s security and that joint action is needed to stop strikes against commercial vessels.
On October 12, the government announced that Bulgaria had requested technical assistance from the European Union and NATO to continue the investigation. Support was also sought from the European Maritime Safety Agency. The request followed the failure to find drone wreckage that could reliably establish where the devices came from.
All available physical evidence, satellite data and information gathered in connection with the attacks are to be analyzed. The government said that once responsibility is established, Bulgaria will take diplomatic and legal action in accordance with international law.
On October 8, Petrova said that if Russian involvement were proven, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would summon the Russian ambassador and deliver a diplomatic note. She clarified that there was no confirmed information at that time allowing such a conclusion.
Bulgaria is also calling for a political solution to halt the attacks on commercial ships. Petrova supported introducing a moratorium and said that protecting civilian crews and ensuring freedom of navigation must be priorities.
On October 24, during a meeting in Varna with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Petrova again emphasized coordination within the EU and NATO. The two ministers backed the development of the Black Sea Maritime Security Center, which Bulgaria and Romania are building with centers in Varna and Constanța.
The center is expected to support monitoring of the maritime situation, protection of critical infrastructure and efforts to counter hybrid threats.
Source: fakti.bg
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1701 | 27 Oct. 2026 | 18:16
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