Bulgaria approves seven minehunters from Belgium, Netherlands for Black Sea

Bulgaria's parliament has approved the acquisition of seven minehunter vessels from Belgium and the Netherlands, a move aimed at strengthening NATO's ability to clear naval mines and safeguard shipping routes in the Black Sea.

The decision, reported by local media on Thursday, follows a NATO summit in July where Bulgaria, along with Romania and Turkey, agreed to expand a joint task force. That force, established in 2024, will now also take on missions to protect critical infrastructure in the region.

The three NATO members share the Black Sea coastline with Georgia, Russia, and Ukraine. The de-mining task force was created in response to the threat of floating mines following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Under the terms approved on Wednesday, Bulgaria will receive three ships from the Netherlands equipped to locate and destroy mines and mine-like objects. A separate transfer agreement involving Belgium, the Netherlands, and Bulgaria covers four additional vessels.

The Netherlands has committed to restoring the technical capabilities and boosting the operational capacity of the three ships before handing them over. Bulgaria will fund repair and restoration work to bring all seven vessels up to NATO operational readiness standards.

Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov stressed the importance of the acquisition, noting that Bulgaria already operates three vessels of a similar type. "With these seven we will complement and further enhance our capabilities," he said ahead of the parliamentary vote.

Stoyanov also highlighted the coordination with regional partners, stating that Bulgaria is part of the mine countermeasures group established with Turkey and Romania, working together to clear the maritime areas of the three countries.

The memorandum of understanding for the acquisition also includes provisions for crew training, spare parts, and additional equipment.