14 Tanks to Be Temporarily Deployed in Bulgaria for NATO Exercises

Sofia, July 1 (BTA) - Fourteen tanks will be temporarily
deployed in Bulgaria for exercises at the Novo Selo training
range, Defence Minister Nikolai Nenchev told bTV Wednesday. He
specified that these will be part of a total of 250 tanks that
the US is sending to six Eastern European countries as mentioned
 by US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter last month.

Nenchev denied any element of surprise over the tanks and said
that all joint NATO exercises are planned well in advance. He
also said that "some interested circles" are trying to create a
scare over the matter.

After a while, the tanks will be transferred to Romania, the
Minister said. He added that there has been no request for
permanent deployment of NATO equipment in Bulgaria.

The agreement of 2006 says clearly when Bulgaria can accept
foreign combat equipment, the Minister said adding that
Bulgaria's voice in the Alliance weighs as much as those of
France, or the UK, the US or any other country.

He admitted that the joint exercises this year are more than
usual.

He also said that it is a great opportunity that the Bulgarian
armed forces has to use foreign equipment for training,
especially considering the resources and the financial condition
 of the Bulgarian army.