The European Union will provide €50 million to speed up the establishment of a joint maritime security center in the Black Sea. Romania and Bulgaria will coordinate its work.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the funding during a visit to Varna, a port city in Bulgaria. She called for the center to begin operating as soon as possible and for clear deadlines to be set for completing the project.
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The initiative follows several attacks by maritime drones on merchant ships near the Romanian and Bulgarian coasts in the Black Sea. Reuters reports that at least nine ships were hit over the past month; some sailors have died and others are missing.
The center aims to strengthen information sharing, maritime surveillance and the safety of navigation. The corridor is important for international trade, energy supplies and Ukraine’s food exports.
NATO has also said it will increase its presence on its eastern flank in the Black Sea, using patrol aircraft, radar and drones.
According to von der Leyen, freedom of navigation in the Black Sea must be restored and guaranteed. In the face of threats in the region, the EU seeks to respond in a coordinated way.
