Four American planes left Vasil Levski Airport

On May 29, the government adopted a decision extending until June 30 the stay in Bulgaria of up to 15 U.S. aircraft, along with service personnel and equipment. Separately, on Wednesday Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the U.S. aircraft would leave the capital’s airport by the end of June. The permission for their stay expires on June 30, after the Council of Ministers agreed to extend by only one month the presence of up to 15 U.S. Air Force aircraft, as well as the personnel and equipment servicing them. After an analysis, however, a decision was taken to allow them to remain until June 30.

A few days ago, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Bulgaria is in regular dialogue with the United States. He stressed that the U.S. remains Bulgaria’s strategic ally in security and a key partner in energy, the economy, high technology and artificial intelligence. According to Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov, the U.S. had requested that its military aircraft at Vasil Levski Airport remain until July 30. At the end of February, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov told the National Assembly that 10 KC-135 military transport aircraft had been deployed at the airport on February 25.

The U.S. request was for an extension until the end of July, but Prime Minister Rumen Radev decided to link the permission to the lifting of U.S. visa requirements for Bulgaria. A few days ago, it became clear that the two topics had been discussed at a meeting between Foreign Minister Velislava Petrova and John Guntanis, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state. During parliamentary oversight, the defence minister explained that the one-month period granted was intended to give the U.S. allies the opportunity to organize their next steps and the possible relocation of the equipment.