Black Sea military cooperation

Romania has not proposed setting up a Black Sea fleet, but a joint naval initiative in the Black Sea area, together with Bulgaria and Turkey, to carry out training exercises under the NATO umbrella. This clarification was made by Romania's president Klaus Iohannis at the end of his visit to Bulgaria, after the Bulgarian head of state, Prime Minister and Defence Minister excluded their country's participation in a joint fleet outside of NATO. President Iohannis has stressed that the North-Atlantic Alliance cannot and does not want to have its own fleet in the Black Sea area. President Iohannis:

"The so-called naval initiative refers to joint training and exercises. We believe that this initiative should be held under the umbrella of the North-Atlantic Alliance, because all these Black Sea countries, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey, are NATO allies. The misunderstanding probably occurred in relation to the concept of NATO fleet. Nobody will set up any NATO fleet. NATO cannot and does not wish to have its own fleet in the Black Sea area."

The Romanian President made the clarification after Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said it was not a good idea for his country to be part of a joint fleet in the Black Sea, as this would trigger a reaction from Russia. "We want investment, we want to develop tourism at European level, we want to see tourist boats and yachts in the Black Sea, not military vessels. We could only speak of a possible presence of NATO military ships in the area in the event of a massive influx of migrants if their routes through the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas are blocked," said the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov. The Romanian prime minister Dacian Ciolos has also stated that the proposal was by no means about setting up a fleet in the Black Sea, but about establishing naval cooperation under the aegis of NATO. Dacian Ciolos:

"There are two major points that need to be clarified: it's not about creating a fleet, but about establishing a means of cooperation among the NATO member countries. Secondly, it's not about a three-party cooperation, but about cooperation under the aegis of NATO. This was the proposal, and I believe, judging by the latest statements made by the Bulgarian officials, that Bulgaria is open to such an initiative."

Romania's proposal, whose main goal, at first at least, is to achieve a level of compatibility among the naval forces of the three NATO allies - Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey - will most likely be included on the agenda of talks of the NATO summit due next month in Warsaw.