SOFIA, Aug 27 (Reuters) – Bulgaria has approved the purchase of seven minehunter ships from Belgium and the Netherlands, as the NATO alliance seeks to bolster its capabilities to clear naval mines and secure shipping routes in the Black Sea, local media reported on Thursday.
Along with Romania and Turkey, Bulgaria agreed at a NATO summit in July to expand a joint task force that clears mines floating in the Black Sea to include missions to protect critical infrastructure.
The three NATO states, which share the Black Sea with Georgia, Russia and Ukraine, formed the de-mining task force in 2024 to counter the threat of floating mines after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Under a sale agreement with the Netherlands approved by the Bulgarian parliament on Wednesday, Bulgaria will receive three ships equipped to seek and destroy mines and mine-like objects, while a separate transfer agreement between Belgium, the Netherlands and Bulgaria covers another four vessels.
The Netherlands has committed to restoring the technical capabilities and increasing the operational capacity of three ships before transferring ownership, with Bulgaria paying for repair and restoration work to bring all seven vessels to NATO operational readiness standards.
“These mine hunters are particularly necessary. We have three of the same type, and with these seven we will complement and further enhance our capabilities,” Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said before lawmakers approved the deal.
“Bulgaria is part of the mine countermeasures group established together with our colleagues from Turkey and Romania, and it is working in excellent coordination to clear the maritime areas of the three countries.”
A memorandum of understanding covering the acquisition also includes crew training, spare parts and additional equipment.
(Reporting by Alex Lefkowitz; Writing by Angeliki Koutantou; editing by Barbara Lewis)
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