This summer, but obviously in the next seasons as well, we will be spectators of a series of events connected with military exercises in Bulgaria by sea and land. There will be dozens of these during the year as previously announced by the Defense Ministry. Yesterday the start was given to the naval exercise Breeze 2015, which involves units from the Bulgarian Navy and other member states of NATO. Various combat situations will be trained. The official statement says that "the exercises are aimed at improving the level of training of the personnel from the Navy in planning and conducting maritime operations in a coalition format and raising the level of coordination with governmental and non-governmental organizations and institutions in response to crises and protection of the population”.

However, some numbers are impressive. Breeze 2015 involves 30 combat and auxiliary ships, and last year's season of the series Breeze 2014 involved 15 ships. Breeze 2015 includes 1,700 people personnel, whereas Breeze 2014 involved 1,000. The conclusions are obvious.

For now, unlike last year, Moscow shows no signs that it will closely monitor the ongoing NATO exercise in the Black Sea. Let us recall that Breeze 2014 was under the constant surveillance of the large-scale Russian maneuvers ongoing at the same time in the Black Sea. Maybe Moscow has changed its tactics. In mid-May, Russian and Chinese warships held their first joint exercises in the eastern Mediterranean - pretty close to the American and NATO naval bases in this aquatic environment. The Russian and Chinese military ships trained their radiation, chemical and biological protection, as well as anti-ship and anti-aircraft defense.

There is no such thing as a free lunch in market economy. And it is only logical to ask the question how much do these Breezes cost and who pays for them? Is it the Bulgarian taxpayer? If these costs are a military secret, should it be so? The naval exercises, on the other hand, naturally involve the ports of Bourgas and Varna. Tens of resorts are located in the adjacent coastline areas. And it is one thing to sunbathe carefree on the beach and an entirely different matter altogether to know that along the coast there are sharks in the sea or military exercises are carried out, right?

It has become apparent now to everyone that all these "long planned" military exercises, as the Ministry of Defense put it, go under the sign of "the threat of aggression by Russia", as some observers say. But NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg obviously thinks differently, because on Thursday he said in Bucharest that the alliance saw "no immediate threat" from Russia to member states of NATO. “We see a more assertive Russia, which is trying to intimidate its neighbors," Stoltenberg added condescendingly to his Romanian partners.