The European Union will make an additional €10 million available for Bulgarian Black Sea search-and-rescue operations, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, as officials respond to attacks on commercial vessels.
Speaking at a Nov. 10 press conference in Varna with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev, von der Leyen said vessel attacks had interrupted Black Sea navigation and increased insurance costs. She said threats, attacks and incursions affecting Bulgaria had grown this year, particularly during the previous month, and cited a sunken ship and people killed or missing while praising Bulgarian rescue crews. Von der Leyen gave no disbursement timetable for the Bulgarian funding.
Radev said commercial vessels should be kept out of conflict. “Seafarers are not parties to an armed conflict, and commercial vessels must not be targeted,” he said, according to Radio Bulgaria. Von der Leyen said Russia sought to spread fear and uncertainty through the attacks. Euronews reported that Radev said more information was needed before responsibility could be assigned.
Separately, NATO has expanded Black Sea surveillance and forensic support following ship attacks, as EconoTimes reported earlier.
Von der Leyen said the EU wants to offer €50 million for a proposed Black Sea Maritime Security Hub involving Bulgaria and Romania. She called for a clear schedule for completing the hub but gave no target date. The European Commission’s summary of her Nov. 9 visit to Romania said she announced a separate €10 million for Romanian search-and-rescue capacity and €50 million for the hub.
