"E ca și cum ai spune «vino, lupule, ia-mă»". Avertisment în Bulgaria: "Pentru că nu cerem ajutor NATO, Rusia poate ataca mai aproape"

Iliya Nalbantov, former chief of staff for Bulgarian defense ministers, warns that Bulgaria's political discourse may embolden Russia to act militarily near its territorial waters. He emphasizes the need for Bulgaria to seek NATO and EU support for maritime surveillance in the Black Sea. Nalbantov criticizes the government for not invoking Article 4 of NATO, which could demonstrate readiness to respond to threats. He highlights the increasing proximity of attacks on ships to Bulgarian shores and calls for improved defense capabilities. Yordan Bozhilov, a former deputy defense minister, echoes concerns about rising risks in the Black Sea due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, suggesting Bulgaria must prepare for various scenarios, including potential attacks on foreign vessels in its territorial waters.