Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov has assured residents that the planned NATO military facility in the Kabile military district near Yambol will not be used for military exercises, live-fire training or the storage of dangerous substances and heavy military equipment.
Stoyanov made the statement in response to a parliamentary question from Vazrazhdane MP Ivelin Parvanov, prompted by concerns among residents of the Yambol region, particularly in the municipalities of Yambol and Tundzha.
Local residents have raised questions about the potential security implications of a large NATO facility in the area. They are concerned that the project could turn the region into a strategic military target at a time when armed conflicts are ongoing in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The planned investment is estimated at at least €200 million. The facility is intended to accommodate the multinational NATO battle group stationed in Bulgaria under Italian command. The group was established in 2022 as part of efforts to strengthen NATO's collective defense and is currently based at the Novo Selo training area.
Plans also envisage the possibility of deploying a multinational divisional headquarters at the new facility, as well as potentially stationing an entire brigade there. An aviation component is also expected to support the base, with aircraft to be based at the nearby Bezmer Air Base.
