Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov
Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said the planned deployment of US military tanker aircraft at Bulgaria’s Bezmer Air Base has been delayed and is now expected to begin next week rather than as originally scheduled.
Stoyanov made the announcement after meeting with mayors from municipalities in the Yambol region, where local authorities raised concerns over the planned arrival of up to eight US Boeing KC-135 tanker aircraft and as many as 250 American servicemembers.
The minister said the purpose of the meeting was to explain why the deployment is needed and to address fears surrounding the mission.
"I hope the mayors will be calmer after the information I provided them," Stoyanov said, adding that he had not come to persuade anyone but to present the facts and ease what he described as unnecessary concerns.
