''The conflict in the Middle East cannot reach Bulgaria’s borders in the military sense, but refugee flows will reach us'', caretaker Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov told Nova TV. He pointed out that around 1 million people have left their homes in Lebanon. "These are the potential refugee flows", said Minister Zapryanov. Atanas Zapryanov was adamant that complicating the situation in the Middle East was in Russia’s interest. ''There is information that it has contributed to this escalation'', Minister Zapryanov added.

 Atanas Zapryanov pointed out that he is not worried about Russia's attitude towards Bulgaria, because this country is part of NATO and the European Union. ''We follow the EU's common security and defense policy and NATO's collective defense.Bulgaria does not threaten Russia in any way, but the opposite is true'', Minister Zapryanov said, as quoted by BTA.