On the background of the escalating tension in the Middle East, the question of security in Southeast Europe once again comes to the forefront. Currently, Greek fighter jets are patrolling and supporting the protection of Bulgarian airspace, while NATO missile defense systems are deployed in the region, including in neighboring Romania.
Is the region becoming a new line of tension and how well protected is Bulgaria? This topic is being commented on by the former chairman of the State Agency "National Security" and former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Tsvetlin Yovchev on bTV.
According to Yovchev, the current measures taken are among the few possible at this stage. "At the moment, this is the only possible solution to improve the protection against air attacks." "How much can we say that the protection is effective - that is already a different question," he stated. According to him, fighter jets are not the solution against all threats.
"The F-16 planes are almost useless in a ballistic missile attack because they do not have such capabilities," Yovchev explained. Specialized anti-missile systems are more effective in this case. "Other systems are a good defense and are effective against such missiles. But in a scenario where many missiles are launched simultaneously, it is possible for these systems to be overloaded and one missile to be missed," he added.
However, the risk for Bulgaria remains relatively low. "The risk for our country from a successful attack of this type is still minimal, but it should not be ruled out," Yovchev said.
According to an expert, Turkey's defense capabilities also contribute to the security of the region.
"In all circumstances, this gives us additional security," he stated. At the same time, Yovchev emphasized that Bulgaria has not invested enough in its own air defense for a long time. "For many years, we did not do what was necessary to build our own air defense capabilities," he said.
According to him, modern conflicts show how crucial this system is. "The lessons from the war in Ukraine show that a new, completely different type of warfare is being waged. One of the key things that every country must have is a strong air defense and local anti-drone defense systems," Yovchev added.
Bulgaria has serious deficiencies in its anti-drone defense.
According to Yovchev, our protection against drones is limited. "At the moment, our anti-drone capabilities are partial and not complete. There are very few places with limited range and capabilities," Yovchev explained. According to him, threats can be of two types - military attacks or local actions. "One scenario is an attack by armed forces - with missiles or military drones.
The second is a local attack - for example, a manually assembled drone used at close range against a specific target," he said. Such attacks can also be used for sabotage against critical infrastructure. Yovchev also commented on the security of airports and other key objects.
"Unfortunately, I have to say that the measures at the moment are incomplete and we do not have sufficient protection," he stated. He gave an example with the lessons learned from the 2012 Burgas airport attack. "We have not learned enough from Sarafovo and we have not implemented effective measures," Yovchev pointed out, referring to the 2012 Burgas airport attack.
According to him, special attention should be paid to certain facilities. "First and foremost, we need to pay attention to the official representations of the United States and Israel, as well as to areas where their citizens gather," he stated.
According to Yovchev, institutions must take swift action.
"We should not waste a minute."Urgent risk assessments need to be conducted, security plans must be updated and effective systems for protection against unmanned aerial vehicles must be built," he emphasized.
The former Minister of Internal Affairs also commented on the changes in regional directors within the Ministry of Interior. "Changes cannot be made without professional grounds. All changes must be based on an evaluation of performance," Yovchev said. According to him, the analysis should include both professional results and the integrity of the leaders. "It is possible for capable individuals to be removed in such situations and replaced with people who lack the necessary qualities," he warned.
Yovchev also commented on the role of the police during elections. "The honesty of elections does not solely depend on the Ministry of Interior." "This is a misconception for society," he said. According to him, the police can limit the purchased vote, but cannot solve all problems. "The Ministry of Interior can help suppress the purchased vote, but it cannot significantly affect the corporate vote or the manipulations in the polling stations," explained Yovchev.
6815 | 13 March 2026 | 12:06
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