Bulgaria's PM: Drone Incursion into Poland a 'Provocation' that NATO Must Address

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov has strongly condemned the recent violation of Polish airspace by drones, calling it an “unprovoked act” that only heightens regional tensions. Speaking during a visit to Simitli, he underlined that Bulgaria’s stance is fully aligned with its NATO partners. “Our position is clear and in agreement with that of our allies - we condemn this violation of airspace, which we view as unprovoked, and reaffirm the Alliance’s determination to take all necessary actions as provided by the treaty,” he stated.

According to Zhelyazkov, a meeting of NATO’s permanent representatives - the ambassadors of member states - was held yesterday to coordinate assessments and positions. For now, no additional meetings at higher levels are planned. He stressed that the incident serves no constructive purpose, describing it as a provocation that undermines efforts to de-escalate tensions between Russia and both the European Union and NATO countries.

The Prime Minister added that such actions only reinforce the arguments of those calling for stronger guarantees of European security. “It is important to demonstrate that the Union possesses the necessary defense readiness and the capacity to repel any attempt at provocation or aggression,” he noted.

Zhelyazkov also addressed questions about whether the latest developments could trigger NATO’s Article 5, which defines an attack against one member as an attack against all. He was categorical that, at this stage, there is no basis for invoking it. Instead, at Poland’s request, Article 4 has been activated, allowing for consultations among NATO allies on the matter.