GERB: The US request for aircraft in Bulgaria is related to the Middle East, not to exercises

In connection with Prime Minister Rumen Radev's statement regarding the planned arrival of up to 8 American military aircraft in Bulgaria, GERB highlighted serious discrepancies in the government's official position. According to representatives of the largest parliamentary force, the basis for the stay of these aircraft is fundamentally different from what has been presented so far.

Georg Georgiev from GERB stated that previous permits for the stay of American equipment in the country were issued in connection with NATO exercises, which falls under the competence of the Minister of Defense. However, according to him, the new requests from the US are dictated by the need for support for operations in the Middle East. This, he added, requires official permission from the National Assembly.

"The Prime Minister claims that a parliamentary decision must be made, but the hypotheses from the beginning of the year and now are different. The grounds on which the American side wants the stay of these aircraft are completely different," Georgiev emphasized.

The GERB MP also criticized the way the Prime Minister handles the parliamentary majority and expressed doubt regarding the clarity of the cabinet's foreign policy messages. Despite the criticism, GERB stated that it will vote "for" granting the necessary permission once all necessary notes are provided by the American side.

Hristo Gadzev from GERB added that a letter has already been provided authorizing the deployment of aircraft for the period from February to May, but it is related solely to Alliance exercises. Parliamentary representatives emphasized that they will demand both notes—the one from February and the new one for the period from July onwards—to clarify the exact nature of the mission.