Bulgaria Requests Parliament Approval for US Tanker Aircraft Deployment
US Military Aircraft Deployment in Bulgaria: Parliamentary Approval and Strategic Implications
Background of the Deployment Request
SOFIA, July 20 (Reuters) - Bulgaria, a NATO and EU member, will seek parliamentary approval on Monday for up to eight U.S. tanker aircraft to be stationed at a military airport, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said, after a move to place such planes at a civilian airport triggered controversy.
Details of the Parliamentary Request
The government will ask parliament to approve a request by Washington to station tanker planes at the Bezmer military facility to support the U.S. military's operations in the Middle East, Radev told an annual conference of Bulgarian Ambassadors in Sofia.
Controversy Over Civilian Airport Use
A move earlier this year to station the aircraft, used mainly for airborne refuelling of other aircraft, at a civilian airport in the capital Sofia without prior parliamentary approval, sparked controversy and the planes left last month.
Prime Minister Radev’s Statement
"The problem was that the military planes were based at a civilian airport in close proximity to Sofia. That is why we proposed to our allies to occupy military airfields," Radev said.
Bezmer Military Base Location
The Bezmer military base is about 260 km (160 miles) southeast of Sofia.
Regional Security Context
The U.S. and Iran have intensified strikes since an interim ceasefire deal signed a month ago unravelled, raising the possibility of a return to all-out war.
Israel’s Preparations for Additional US Support
Israel is preparing to receive more U.S. refuelling aircraft, an Israeli military official said on Sunday.
(Reporting by Alex Lefkowitz, Writing by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
