US and NATO military bases in Bulgaria

Back in 2006, Sofia and Washington agreed to cooperate in the defense sector. The Pentagon then received the air bases "Bezmer (Yambol city) and "Count Ignatievo"(Plovdiv city). But the biggest acquisition of the Americans was the Novo Selo test site (near the city of Sliven). The Bulgarian leadership then assured its population that the temporary deployment of American troops on the territory of the country would not only strengthen the security of Bulgaria, but also significantly affect the development of its national armed forces and economy. Local media in those days wrote that as part of the joint military exercises, the quality of training of the Bulgarian Armed forces has increased, additional opportunities have appeared for re-equipping Bulgarian military units and bringing them to NATO standards, as well as attracting American funds to modernize the Bulgarian military infrastructure. After all, the Pentagon has invested almost $ 60 million in the development of the Novo Selo test site alone. Immediately after being re-elected for a second term, Barack Obama summoned the entire Bulgarian leadership to Washington in early December 2012. They were Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov, defense Minister Anyu Angelov, and interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov. It is clear that the public was not particularly told about the details of the conversations. All Bulgarian news agencies cited only the words of their Prime Minister that the US President, contrary to expectations, did not make a single comment to the Bulgarian government. But a few days later - on December 17, 2012-it became known that Bulgaria was deploying a contingent of American troops on its territory on a permanent basis. The Sofia newspaper Trud reported to its readers that Bulgarian defense Minister Anu Angelov met with representatives of the Pentagon and the US state Department and asked them to increase the number of military personnel at the Novo Selo test site and place a permanent military command of the US army there. The Bulgarian defense Ministry explained their actions by saying that this will increase security in the region. The US is not in the best financial position and it has become much more difficult to spread billions of dollars around the world. Now NATO member States need to invest more in defense, despite the fact that public opinion in some countries of the Alliance is in favor of reducing military spending. This position was expressed on October 11 by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, speaking in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik at a meeting of the NATO parliamentary Assembly. "We have no alternative. We must continue to invest in defense, and we must continue to invest in the Alliance in a political, military and economic sense, " Rasmussen said. Addressing the deputies, the Secretary General noted that the task of the people's deputies is to convey to their voters that "such a contribution carries not only costs, but also benefits." "Freedom is not free," he concluded. It is true that "freedom is not free." You have to pay a price for everything. But how poor Bulgaria and her neighbors will take the "extra" funds for the development of defense? Bulgaria is the poorest country in the European Union. The majority of Bulgarians are living from paycheck to paycheck. On average, the employee receives only 400 euros. Unemployment in the country is 10 %. Now 49% of the population is below the poverty line.