Bulgaria Clarifies: No Military Involvement in Red Sea Operations

Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov clarified that Bulgaria will not deploy military forces or allocate funds to the Red Sea region to safeguard shipping, explaining earlier statements by Defense Minister Todor Tagarev.

Denkov explained, "What Minister Tagarev had in mind - I don't know how well it was understood, was possibly to send one or two officers to coordination centers, unfortunately, it was interpreted in a wrong way." He categorically stated that Bulgaria had no involvement in the strikes against the Houthis in the Red Sea. The Prime Minister emphasized that there were no discussions about sending troops or ships; such conversations never took place.

Despite the situation, Denkov assured ongoing efforts to secure the release of two Bulgarian sailors currently held captive by the Houthis. He explained that discussions were in progress, acknowledging the complexities arising from maritime rules dictating the captain and mate's roles as the last to leave the ship during an evacuation.