Defence Minister’s official visit to Sofia

Minister of National Defence, Angel Tîlvăr, paid an official visit to Sofia, in the Republic of Bulgaria, on Monday, April 7, at the invitation of his counterpart Atanas Zaprianov.

The talks agenda focused on enhancing defence cooperation, as well as on measures intended to strengthen regional security on NATO's Eastern Flank.

During the meeting, the two officials reaffirmed a common understanding on the risks and threats to regional security and emphasized the need to strengthen collective defence and develop joint response capabilities. In this regard, the Romanian Minister of Defence suggested increasing bilateral military exercises, essential for improving interoperability between the two states’ armed forces.

"Romania and Bulgaria are not only allies within NATO, but also strategic partners, neighbors and riparians at the Black Sea, who share the same objectives in the field of security and defence. In the face of current challenges, we must stay united, enhance our bilateral defence cooperation and demonstrate, through concrete actions, that NATO's Eastern Flank is solid and ready to respond to any threat", Minister Tîlvăr emphasized.

Minister Angel Tîlvăr also expressed his wish to update the legal framework in the field of defence, to reflect both the current realities of the security context and the consistency and dynamics of cooperation between Romania and Bulgaria.

 The two dignitaries strongly condemned the Russian Federation's war of aggression against Ukraine. In this context, they discussed the necessary measures to strengthen navigation safety in the Black Sea, emphasizing effective cooperation within the MCM Black Sea Initiative.

The evolution of the joint project of the Regional Special Operations Component Command (HQR-SOCC) was also analyzed. Given the very good collaboration among the three allied states in the Black Sea region, it has been decided to invite Turkey to the HQR-SOCC, and the necessary steps will be taken in this regard in the coming period.

In conclusion, the two ministers reconfirmed the importance of military mobility corridors in the region and agreed on advancing projects in this area.

Also today, the Romanian and Bulgarian defence ministers laid wreaths, in the Central Cemetery in Sofia, at the Monument of Romanian Heroes who lost their lives on the Bulgarian territory during several conflicts. Thus, the two high-ranking officials honored the blood sacrifice of over 13,000 Romanian soldiers who rest on Bulgarian territory. The first heroes fell in the line of duty during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), as a result of which Romania gained its independence and Bulgaria freed itself from Ottoman rule, Romanian and Bulgarian soldiers fighting shoulder to shoulder for statehood and freedom.

As part of the visit to Sofia, the Minister of National Defence also had a meeting with the Chairman of the Defence Committee of the Bulgarian Parliament, Hristo Georgiev Gadzhev.

The discussions focused on identifying ways to enhance bilateral and regional defence cooperation, as well as in a multinational format. The two officials pointed out the high level of joint activities conducted by Romania and Bulgaria, the excellent collaboration within NATO and the EU, as well as the joint participation in numerous military initiatives and exercises, at all levels and in all Services.

The two officials emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and reconfirmed their willingness to maintain an open, active and constructive political-military dialogue.

The Press Office