Eastern Defense Ministers Fortify Vow to Amplify NATO's Eastern Frontier (Romania, Bulgaria)
Rewritten Article:
Romania and Bulgaria Strengthen Eastern NATO Front, Deepen Defense Ties
This past April, Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr made a visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of his counterpart, Atanas Zapryanov. The two officials held talks in Sofia to bolster bilateral defense cooperation, emphasizing a shared commitment to regional security and NATO's eastern flank.
Tîlvăr proposed beefing up joint military exercises to boost interoperability between the Romanian and Bulgarian armed forces, stressing that both countries are more than just NATO allies -they are strategic partners with common Black Sea goals.
"We must stand together in the face of current challenges, reinforce our bilateral defense cooperation, and demonstrate that NATO's eastern flank is strong and ready to counter any threat," said Tîlvăr, according to the press release from the Romanian Ministry of Defense (MApN).
The Romanian minister also called for updating the legal framework governing defense cooperation to better address contemporary security concerns and the fast-evolving Romania-Bulgaria relationship.
Both officials voiced their disapproval of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and emphasized the significance of addressing maritime security in the Black Sea, including by boosting cooperation within the MCM Black Sea initiative.
During their discussions, Tîlvăr and Zapryanov agreed to involve Turkey in the Regional Special Operations Component Command (HQR-SOCC). They also agreed to push forward with regional mobility corridors projects, recognizing their strategic importance to military mobility.
As part of Tîlvăr's trip, the ministers paid tribute to Romanian soldiers who lost their lives on Bulgarian soil in previous conflicts. The ceremony remembered Romanian and Bulgarian soldiers who fought alongside each other during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, a turning point that led to Romania's independence and Bulgaria's liberation from Ottoman rule.
In addition to his meeting with Zapryanov, Tîlvăr met with Hristo Georgiev Gadzhev, chairman of the Bulgarian Parliament's Defense Committee. Their talks focused on intensifying bilateral and regional cooperation, as well as Romania and Bulgaria's close collaboration within NATO and the EU. Both officials highlighted the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and agreed to maintain an open, active, and constructive political-military dialogue.
*[Source: Romania Insider; Photos: Facebook/Angel Tilvar; MApN/Laurent
- General-news: The Romanian Defense Minister, Angel Tiłvar, and his Bulgarian counterpart, Atanas Zapryanov, agreed to enhance cooperation with Turkey in the Regional Special Operations Component Command (HQR-SOCC), as part of Tiłvar's visit to Bulgaria.
- Politics: During their discussions, Tiłvar and Zapryanov emphasized the importance of parliamentary diplomacy, agreeing to maintain an open, active, and constructive political-military dialogue.
- NATO: Tiłvar and Zapryanov agreed to boost bilateral defense cooperation to reinforce NATO's eastern flank, emphasizing their shared commitment to regional security and NATO's mission.
