Bulgaria contributes to the defense of Ukraine and the common security of the European Union through the weapons it produces and with the decision to participate in the SAFE financial mechanism, through which the European defense industry should be strengthened. This was stated by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen at a press conference after a visit to the largest state-owned military enterprise in Bulgaria - "Vazovski Masinostroitelni Zavodi" EAD (VMZ), together with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov and the leader of GERB party Boyko Borisov.

The President of the EC got acquainted with the accumulated experience and traditions of Bulgaria in the military industry, the current defense capacity of the country and the actions taken for its development and technological renewal, including the preparation of the construction of two new production facilities, for which the government is partnering with the largest defense concern "Rheinmetall".

"Since the beginning of the war, 1/3 of the weapons used by Ukraine have come from Bulgaria. Therefore, first and foremost, I would like to thank you for your extremely strong support for your neighbor and friend - the state of Ukraine," von der Leyen said. She emphasized that two new factories will be built in Sopot, which will create up to 1,000 new jobs: "This will strengthen European security, strengthen cooperation in NATO and support the brave Ukrainian troops. This will lead to long-term growth for the region. We are accelerating production everywhere in Europe because the times demand it."

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov stated that Bulgaria would continue working for the security of navigation in the Black Sea after the conclusion of a possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine: "Let us continue mine-clearing operations to guarantee freedom of navigation, and we are ready to do this with two mine-clearing ships and supporting ones, and in the field of the air domain - with the provision of airport infrastructure, as well as other options, which, I repeat, will be relevant at the moment when a political solution and a ceasefire are reached."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's visit to Bulgaria is part of a tour of seven countries on the EU's eastern border.

Urusla von der Leyen's arrival in Sopot was accompanied by a reinforced police presence in the area of ​​the factory, where supporters of the opposition party Vazrazhdane and later Velichichie party were present throughout the day, protesting against von der Leyen's visit. The leader of Vazrazhdane party, Kostadin Kostadinov, sharply criticized the planned investment of nearly 1 billion leva in a new gunpowder production, commenting that it is "dangerous and dirty, the future plant in Sopot will not have a guaranteed market, and the investment in it will not have a return". Kostadinov rhetorically asked why Bulgaria is not investing in the production of computers or military electronics and added that for Europe Bulgaria is a "raw material appendage", BNR-Plovdiv reporters Kremena Daneva and Antonia Popova reported.

Edited by Elena Karkalanova
English version: R. Petkova