Bulgaria has finalized a contract to acquire seven minehunter ships, marking a significant step in modernizing the country’s naval capabilities. The announcement came after a government meeting, with outgoing Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov confirming the deal.

Under the agreement, four of the minehunters will be provided by Belgium and three by the Netherlands. While the vessels are being delivered free of charge, the projected cost for repairing and restoring them to full operational capacity over the next four years is estimated at €42 million (around BGN 82 million). Zapryanov emphasized that the first ship will be delivered later this year, once all negotiation procedures are completed.

The Bulgarian Navy currently operates three similar ships, previously delivered by Belgium and the Netherlands. The new acquisitions are intended to replace aging Soviet-era vessels, some of which are nearing the end of their service life. The outgoing minister noted that one ship was decommissioned last year, and others are expected to follow, making the replacement crucial to maintaining and expanding Bulgaria’s mine countermeasure capabilities.

Zapryanov described the acquisition as part of a broader modernization strategy, marking the fifth major project aimed at rearming and strengthening Bulgaria’s armed forces under the European SAFE mechanism. He called the delivery “essential” for ensuring the smooth transition from old to new mine countermeasure ships and enhancing the country’s naval readiness.