EU pledges €10 million for Bulgarian Black Sea search, rescue operations

The EU has pledged €10 million for Bulgaria to bolster search and rescue operations in the Black Sea, which is becoming one of the most dangerous transport routes in the world due to continued drone attacks. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced €10 million in emergency funding for Bulgaria on Tuesday to bolster search and rescue operations in the Black Sea, where drone attacks linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine have made commercial shipping increasingly dangerous. “Drones sinking commercial ships, setting vessels ablaze, killing civilians. Lives are lost at sea. Navigation is disrupted and the cost of insurance is skyrocketing,” she said. “The intention of these attacks is clear to spread fear and uncertainty in Europe. We know the playbook and we are building resilience against it. So, you can count on a strong and united European response.” Von der Leyen made the announcement during a visit to the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy in the Bulgarian coastal city of Varna, a day after visiting Bucharest for talks with Romanian President Nicușor Dan. Speaking alongside Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev, she pledged a stronger European response to threats against shipping in the Black Sea. Radev, who has advocated closer diplomatic engagement with Russia to end the war, declined to attribute responsibility for the recent attacks while investigations remain underway. “We would like to receive further data and specific facts as to who the perpetrator is,” he told reporters at the joint press conference. In the past, however, Radev has stated that “logic” suggests that the attacks are due to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. On Monday, von der Leyen began her tour of the EU’s Black Sea countries impacted by recent drone attacks. From Bucharest, she announced a similar €10 million would be provided to Romania to bolster search and rescue operations. Up to €50 million would be earmarked for the “fast-tracked” development of the Black Sea Maritime Security Hub, which would impact both countries, von der Leyen said. Romania’s previous foreign Oana Țoiu said the hub would be located in both Romania and Bulgaria’s main ports, Constanța and Varna, respectively. The hub sits at the core of the EU’s Black Sea Strategy, published mid-2025. It has been touted as a centre that will coordinate support and boost coast-guard cooperation for the EU countries’ potential dangers and incoming threats, such as cable-cuts and other incendiary activities. Von der Leyen promised a “clear timeline for completion” of the project. European Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho clarified on Tuesday that Brussels aims to have the hub operational by 2027. Russia has recently intensified strikes on Ukrainian Black Sea vessels and infrastructure, on which Kyiv relies for the export of around 90% of its agricultural commodities. Attacks on storage facilities within Ukraine have also intensified. Ukrainian Minister for Agrarian Policy and Food, Taras Vysotskyi,told Euronews in September that there had been “some progress” in ensuring Ukrainian harvests reach the market through the Black Sea through European support, through the development of “solidarity lanes”.