Nicușor Dan, discussion with the President of Bulgaria about drone attacks on ships in the Black Sea

President Nicușor Dan will have a phone conversation on Wednesday at 15:00 with his Bulgarian counterpart, Iliana Iotova, about the attacks on vessels in the Black Sea and the measures necessary for the safety of maritime navigation. The discussion is taking place following several incidents that occurred off the coast of Bulgaria.

According to the Presidential Administration, the two officials will analyze the security situation and the risks for commercial vessels transiting the region.

On Tuesday, the general cargo vessel Chelsea 3, sailing under the Maltese flag, was hit by an aerial drone in the Black Sea, approximately 15 nautical miles from the Bulgarian city of Byala. The information was transmitted by the press office of the Varna Regional Administration.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that two vessels had been hit by drones and that one had sunk. He described the attacks as “unacceptable” and announced that he intends to summon the Russian ambassador.

The attacks were also condemned by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who described them as “a new front of escalation in Russia’s war in Ukraine”. Rumen Radev also spoke with Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan about the incidents in the Black Sea.