Nicușor Dan to discuss attacks on Black Sea vessels with the President of Bulgaria today
President Nicușor Dan will hold talks on Wednesday with the President of Bulgaria regarding attacks on vessels in the Black Sea and the safety of maritime navigation.
Romanian President Nicușor Dan is scheduled to have a telephone conversation on Wednesday at 3:00 PM with the President of Bulgaria, Iliana Iotova, concerning attacks on Black Sea vessels and measures to ensure the safety of maritime navigation, according to the Presidential Administration.
Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan also spoke by phone on Tuesday with his Bulgarian counterpart, Rumen Radev, about the deteriorating security situation in the Black Sea and attacks on commercial vessels, according to a Government press release.
„The Romanian Prime Minister firmly condemned the attacks on commercial vessels within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, emphasizing that such actions against civilian navigation are unacceptable and constitute serious violations of maritime and international law. These attacks are consequences of the war of aggression launched by Russia against Ukraine.
The two officials discussed strengthening coordination between Romania and Bulgaria—including through cooperation with Turkey—to bolster regional security, including maritime security,” the statement reads, according to G4Media.
It is worth noting that on October 5, the Turkish vessel *Royad Mammadov* was struck by drones near the „Pescăruș” platform, which belongs to the company Petrom. Two crew members died and 11 others were injured, according to authorities.
This is the most serious incident recorded near the Romanian coast since the start of the war launched by Russia in Ukraine. Subsequently, on the night of October 12–13, the cargo ship „CHELSEA 3″—flying the Maltese flag and owned by Ukrainian interests—was struck by three aerial drones approximately 18 nautical miles east of the town of Byala, within Bulgarian territorial waters, BGNES reports.
All 15 crew members were evacuated, and six sailors were injured in the attack.
Another vessel was attacked approximately 17 nautical miles east of Krapets and sank; reports regarding this ship and the number of survivors have been contradictory.
Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov held urgent telephone conversations with his counterparts from Romania and Turkey following the attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, reports Dunav Most, as cited by Rador.
Bulgaria is currently calling for an immediate intensification of monitoring and information sharing in the Black Sea region, in cooperation with NATO structures.
These diplomatic moves were prompted by the incidents on Monday evening, when two ships were struck. The Bulgarian government has strongly condemned the attacks, viewing them as a serious violation of international maritime law.
During discussions with Romania’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, Radu Miruță, and Turkey’s Minister of Defense, Yaşar Güler, the security situation was assessed, leading to the conclusion that it has deteriorated drastically.