PM Ciolos: NATO Black Sea fleet never discussed, just Allied cooperation

Prime minister, Dacian Ciolos on Thursday night stated that building a NATO fleet in the Black Sea was never a topic; talks so far only concerned a Romania-Bulgaria-Turkey naval cooperation in an Allied context.

"I've just talked today with [Defence] Minister Mihnea Motoc, who has watched closely this topic, and I understand that the latest statement, also issued by the Bulgarian President, together with Bulgaria's prime minister and defence minister, has clarified things. It was never about setting up a fleet in the Black Sea, but only of a cooperation under NATO umbrella. This was Romania's proposition, and I understand that Bulgaria specified that, under these circumstances, as the Bulgarian premier told me when I visited Sofia, and also the president are willing to support this proposition. So, it was not about any fleet, but of a cooperation of three Black Sea riparian and NATO member states, a cooperation under NATO umbrella. (...) This is the proposition and I understand from the latest statements that Bulgaria is capable to support this approach," Ciolos said in a press conference at the Government's offices.

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev had said Romania came up with a new regional maritime defence initiative. "Bulgaria will only support it in a NATO format," said Plevneliev.

He asserted that this is a training initiative and asked the media to stop writing of "building up a fleet against anybody."

"Bulgaria is not part of such propositions and ideas," Plevneliev insisted.

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