Türkiye, Bulgaria reach agreement on joint airspace protection

In a significant move toward bolstering regional security, Bulgaria's parliament has ratified a comprehensive memorandum with Türkiye that focuses on the joint protection of their respective airspaces.

The memorandum, which received majority support in the Bulgarian legislature, sets out detailed principles, procedures, and conditions for conducting cross-border air policing operations, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

These operations will take place within the airspace of both countries, enhancing cooperation between the two NATO allies.

The Minister of Defence in Bulgaria's caretaker government, Atanas Zapryanov, highlighted the significance of this agreement in his remarks following the parliamentary decision. He noted that Bulgaria's decision to sign the memorandum was motivated by a collective commitment among NATO countries to safeguard the alliance’s common airspace.

Zapryanov was careful to clarify the nature of the operations outlined in the agreement. "We are not discussing defensive actions; these are peacetime operations involving aircraft that are on standby," he explained. The focus of these operations is on maintaining airspace security and readiness, rather than engaging in combat or defensive maneuvers.