Former Defense Minister Todor Tagarev
The Russian aircraft that flew over Bulgaria could have collected intelligence on the country's defense infrastructure and may pass information of interest to Iran, former Defense Minister Todor Tagarev said.
Further reading: Russian Il-76 Crosses Bulgaria on Way to Fight Serbian Fires (UPDATED)
Speaking to bTV, Tagarev said the aircraft's flight raised questions about coordination within the Bulgarian government and the measures taken to protect national security. He suggested that government structures had authorized the overflight, although he said this had not been officially announced.
Tagarev argued that the flight was particularly concerning amid reports of possible Iranian threats against Bulgaria. "Let's give an example of a lack of coordination. Information is coming out that Iran will potentially threaten us. How serious it is, we don't talk about it. At the same time, a part of the government structures are giving permission to a Russian plane to fly to the territory of Bulgaria," he said.
