Kremlin-friendly PM condemns attack on two international cargo ships in Bulgarian waters as ‘crude violation of law’ – but opposition criticises him for not pointing finger at Moscow.
Bulgaria’s opposition has criticised the government over its response to a drone attack on two foreign commercial cargo vessels on Tuesday in Bulgaria’s zone in the Black Sea.
The strike occurred at around 3 a.m. about 70 nautical miles east of the town of Byala and sank a Palau-flagged ship. A Togo-flagged ship was damaged by fire. The total number of sailors injured in the strike is unclear.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev called the attack
Prime Minister Rumen Radev called the attack “a crude violation of international law” but is yet to name the aggressor.
“It’s clear the drones were either Russian or Ukrainian,” he told media, adding that “worse cases have happened before”, without clarifying what events he was referring to.
Radev later stated: “As I have long said before, if this [Ukraine] war is not ended on time, it will continue to expand its territorial reach, become more brutal, increase the risks and turn into a global conflict.”
Acting President Iliana Iotova, formerly vice to Radev
Acting President Iliana Iotova, formerly vice to Radev during his 2016-2026 presidential mandate, signed a decree to assemble Bulgaria’s security council on Wednesday. But Radev indirectly downplayed the need for such a decision, saying: “It would make people speculate with all kinds of nonsense.”
Opposition members criticised Radev for not naming Russia as the aggressor, alleging it was symptomatic of his sympathy for the Kremlin, following his reluctance for years to aid Ukraine –an agenda allegedly shared by Iotova, a runner inupcoming presidential elections on October 25.
“Although the budget for the military has doubled, there’s no adequate protection for Bulgarian citizens. There’s no real President, no real leader,” Assen Vassilev, co-leader of the opposition party We Continue the Change, told media.
It is clearly a strike from Russia
“It is clearly a strike from Russia but Radev is not brave enough to say it,” said Ivaylo Mirchev, of Democratic Bulgaria, who asked why Radev had seemed more concerned when a non-threatening decoy drone was found near the border with Romania.
Sixteen crew members of the struck vessels, comprising Turkish and Indian nationals, have meanwhile been evacuated.
One who identified as a Turkish citizen told media on the Bulgarian shore: “I think the Russians threw at us a naval mine, there was a fire, not like one from a drone, since it came from underneath. I think it’s a Russian [attack] because we were carrying Ukrainian cargo.”
No government official has commented on the nature
No government official has commented on the nature of the cargo carried by the vessels, or on whether there is a likely connection to Ukraine.
Two crew members sustained serious injuries – one with severe burns and another with head trauma – and were transported to the military hospital in Varna for treatment.Rescue missions are ongoing.
On September 18, Bulgaria announced it would start further supplying infrastructure facilities with drone-countermeasure systems, the move announced days after a fire broke out at a weapons depot, raising concerns about the security of munitions manufacturers.
Source: balkaninsight.com
