Bulgaria Refuses to Allow the U.S. to Station Refueling Aircraft Due to Visa Dispute 0 27

Bulgaria will extend the permission for American refueling aircraft to stay at Sofia Airport only until the end of June 2026, but will deny the U.S. long-term placement. As reported by the international news agency "Reuters", the statement was made by the country's Prime Minister Rumen Radev at a government meeting. According to the head of the cabinet, the reason for this step was the lack of progress from Washington regarding the cancellation of visa requirements for Bulgarian citizens over the past month. According to local media, there are currently seven American KC-135 "Stratotanker" refueling aircraft at the capital's airport.

"So far, I have not received a positive response, and I fully understand the complexity of regulatory procedures and the need for time, but we also have our own priorities and procedures," Radev summarized. As reported by Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), the Prime Minister emphasized that Sofia has its own state interests and cannot respond positively to the American request for the prolonged presence of military equipment without reciprocal steps on the visa-free regime. This move demonstrates the readiness of the Bulgarian leadership to link defense cooperation issues with the resolution of important civil problems for the population.

According to official reports, if the visa agreement does not make progress, American refueling aircraft will have to leave Bulgarian territory immediately after the temporary permit expires at the end of June.