Caretaker Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov told Parliament that attempts to associate the presence of US military aircraft in Bulgaria with operations beyond NATO frameworks amount to speculation. Speaking during a hearing focused on the deployment at Sofia Airport, tensions in the Middle East and reports of potential restrictions on civil use of the airport, he stressed that the aircraft are in the country for training linked to NATO’s collective defense planning.

Zapryanov criticized what he described as misleading narratives circulating online about the purpose of the deployment, warning that amplifying such claims harms national security. He clarified that, following a diplomatic note from the US Embassy dated February 17, 2026, he authorized the transit through Bulgarian airspace and the temporary, non-combat stay of up to 15 US Air Force aircraft at Sofia Airport for refuelling. Around 500 personnel are stationed at the adjacent Vrazhdebna Air Base to service the aircraft between February 17 and May 31, 2026.

The minister explained that Sofia Airport, together with Vrazhdebna, has been designated to provide host-nation support under Bulgaria’s allied commitments. Vrazhdebna alone lacks the capacity to handle such a number of aircraft, while other declared facilities: Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Gorna Oryahovitsa, Bezmer and Graf Ignatievo - are either under modernization or do not meet logistical requirements such as fuel availability, parking space for multiple transport aircraft, or servicing capabilities. As of February 25, ten Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker refuelling planes were present at Sofia Airport, with the total number fluctuating daily but capped at 15.

Zapryanov underlined that civilian operations remain unaffected. All US flights are scheduled in designated slots submitted 12 to 24 hours in advance, and no delays or changes to civil air traffic have occurred. He noted that the airport has not been closed at the military’s request and pointed out that in 2025 it was temporarily shut 20 times for engineering works carried out by its operator.

Responding to MPs, the minister said the caretaker prime minister had been informed of all diplomatic exchanges and decisions, and ministries were instructed to enhance coordination, with clear priority given to safeguarding civil aviation. Plans are also underway to organize an open day for media, citizens and lawmakers to view the aircraft.

Zapryanov cited the Defense and Armed Forces Act and the Act on the Transit and Stay of Foreign Armed Forces on Bulgarian Territory, which empower him, upon proposal from military leadership, to approve the deployment of up to 15 aircraft and as many as 1,000 personnel for non-combat purposes. He said he had formally notified the President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker of Parliament. Similar exercises, including those involving combat and transport aviation at Bezmer, had taken place previously without requiring discussion by the Council of Ministers, as they are grounded in ratified agreements and his statutory authority. He emphasized that Bulgaria hosts no allied bases, only joint facilities used for training under a bilateral agreement ratified in 2006, and that various transport and infrastructure sites are incorporated into NATO defense planning.

Zapryanov added that ensuring host nations can receive allied forces will be a key issue at an upcoming high-level meeting in Ankara. NATO currently maintains training forces along its eastern flank, and discussions include exercises involving Vrazhdebna and the use of parking stands at Sofia Airport. He also noted that periodic deployments at other airports designated for collective Defense remain possible.

Caretaker Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky echoed that the US aircraft deployment is unrelated to ongoing or future combat operations. She told MPs that the US Embassy had requested permission on February 17 for up to 15 aircraft and associated personnel to operate from Sofia Airport until May 31 in connection with NATO’s enhanced vigilance measures. The Minister of Defense granted authorization under the relevant legislation governing the passage and presence of allied forces. Neynsky added that standing diplomatic clearance for US Air Force flights in Bulgarian airspace is valid for 2026.

According to her, the aircraft serve purely logistical purposes, primarily aerial refuelling, and lack offensive capabilities. Their personnel are present solely to maintain and service the planes. She linked the broader context to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, which has prompted NATO to strengthen deterrence and Defense along its eastern flank since 2022 through reinforced air policing, rotational troop deployments, expanded logistics and larger-scale exercises. Given Bulgaria’s strategic position in the Black Sea region and the Balkans, allied commitments tied to enhanced vigilance have grown, with facilities such as Novo Selo, Bezmer and Graf Ignatievo regularly used for training.

Addressing questions about the absence of a parliamentary vote, Neynsky referred to a 2003 Constitutional Court ruling. The Court determined that allied forces present under a ratified international treaty of a political or military nature are not considered “foreign troops” in the constitutional sense when fulfilling treaty obligations. Consequently, once Parliament has ratified such agreements, no additional case-by-case authorization is required for allied deployments stemming directly from those commitments.

During the hearing, MPs from Revival and There Is Such a People called for caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov to appear before Parliament. He declined due to prior commitments at the Council of Ministers. Both ministers reiterated that the United States is a strategic partner and that the decisions were taken in line with Bulgaria’s legal framework and allied obligations.