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US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) adjusts her ear piece as she listens to Polish Foreign Affairs Minister Radoslaw Sikorski (R) during a joint press conference after signing an annex to the Polish-US agreement on missile defense. Photo by EPA/BGNE
The United States and Poland have signed an agreement for the latter's participation in the Obama Administration plan for a missile defense in Europe.
The protocol was inked Saturday in Krakow in the presence Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has already visited Ukraine and is heading also to Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan as part of a five-nation Eastern European tour.
The newly-signed protocol amends the previous agreements for the missile shield in Europe between Poland and the USA as the original plan of the Bush Administration for locating interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic.
The Obama Administration has modified the initial plan to demonstrate that it is directed to protect Europe from short and medium-range missiles fired from the Middle East or Iran. The modification provides for sea-borne US interceptor missiles in the Mediterranean at first, and for potentially locating elements of the missile defense in Bulgaria and Romania subsequently.
Earlier on Saturday, Bulgaria's Defense Minister Anyu Angelov confirmed that Bulgaria will likely host elements of the US missile shield in Europe after 2015.
During the signing of the new US-Polish protocol in Krakow Saturday, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said President Obama's new approach to missile defense is more likely to "be effective" and would protect Poland and the rest of Europe "from a bigger range of threats.“
“The new version is a better one for us," he declared. Clinton has also said that the modified missile defense will be a better way to deal with “evolving missile threats, especially from Iran.”
"This is purely a defensive system. It's not directed at Russia. It is not a threat to Russia. We believe the threats that we all face are common ones," said Clinton.
Sikorski went as far as declaring that Poland is willing to allow Russia to inspect its anti-missile facilities in order to reassure Moscow.
The US has already stationed Patriot anti-missile and anti-aircraft interceptors in Poland. The Patriot missiles are located at a Polish military facility near the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
The Bulgarian Parliament has adopted a decision establishing February 14 as the official Day of Bulgarian–Polish Friendship and Cooperation. The measure passed unanimously, receiving 165 votes in favor.
Poland has long harbored suspicions that Hungary has been relaying sensitive details from European Union Council meetings to Russia, a concern recently highlighted by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in response to a Washington Post report
Wizz Air, the leading airline in Bulgaria by market share, has announced the launch of a new direct route connecting Burgas with Radom, Poland
Polish authorities are investigating what they describe as one of the most serious sabotage incidents on the country’s railway network in recent years
Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has described the recent explosion on a key railway route between Warsaw and Lublin as “an unprecedented act of sabotage aimed at the security of the Polish state and its citizens.”
Poland is preparing to amend its legislation governing military deployments abroad, allowing its armed forces to target Russian objects
The personnel deficit in the Bulgarian Armed Forces stood at 20.5% in 2025, marking a slight improvement of 1.8 percentage points compared to the previous year, according to the Report on the State of Defence and the Armed Forces, approved by the caretake
Acting Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov has stated that Bulgaria is not taking on any military obligations under the ten-year security cooperation agreement with Ukraine
Acting defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov said that the concept of Bulgaria relying on its own defense outside a collective system would place an unsustainable burden on the country’s economy and public finances
Journalist Hristo Rimpopov told Bulgarian National Radio that there is no basis to assume Bulgaria could become a target of Iranian attacks, following confirmation by the Foreign Ministry that Tehran had sent a diplomatic note concerning the presence of U
Acting Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynski has stated categorically that Bulgaria will not take part in any military coalition aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, citing the country’s limited capabilities
The Council of Ministers has adopted the Report on the State of Defense and the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria for 2025, which was submitted to both the National Assembly and the public, outlining an overall assessment of military readiness and
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