Please, see the frequently asked questions and answers below for more information.

1. Where will the military bases be in Bulgaria and why do many people call them “U.S. Bases”?

There will be no “U.S. military bases” in Bulgaria. These are and will continue to be Bulgarian bases under Bulgarian flag and under Bulgarian command. The Bulgarian military facilities will be shared by American troops for training purposes. Our primary interest is, and has always been, the Novo Selo Training Area and Bezmer Air Base. We also expect we might make some use of Graf Ignatievo Air Base and a storage facility in Aytos, primarily for logistical support.
 
The shared military facilities are part of the very close relationship we have developed with our friends and allies in the region. A strategic partnership means sharing our talents, sharing our resources and, in this case, sharing military bases.

2. How many American soldiers will be stationed in Bulgaria?

These shared facilities will be very different from the big military bases in Germany during the Cold War. Most training rotations will have comparatively small numbers and be of relatively short duration.  At most, about 2500 soldiers will train at the bases for part of the year. During such a rotation, there might be brief periods when there are two groups of 2500 soldiers at one time in Bulgaria.  The soldiers will not have family members with them. The vast majority of troops will be here on temporary duty for periods numbering in months, not years.

3. When will the first American soldiers from Joint Task Force East arrive in Bulgaria?

The first American troops arrived in September, 2007 for a joint training with the Bulgarian military in Novo Selo TA.  We have had joint exercises in Bulgaria for the last three years.  We do not expect that these future training exercises will be very different from the joint exercise activities.

4. How does the Bulgarian military benefit from sharing Bulgarian military bases with the U.S?

The Bulgarian military exhibits great professionalism, dedication and skill in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo.  As is the case with all modern militaries, it needs to continue training to maintain its readiness.  Bulgarian military representatives tell us that the greatest benefit of the shared facilities will be the opportunity for Bulgarian forces to train and work together with the U.S. military – one of the best equipped and trained forces in the world. The Bulgarian military will also have a chance to learn from the U.S. military’s experience in dealing with natural disasters and other emergencies, where the military can help the civilian population.

5. What is the Bulgarian government’s view on the shared military facilities?

On Friday, November 4, 2005, in a speech delivered at NDK, Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev voiced the Bulgarian government’s support for the shared facilities. PM Stanishev said, “I would like to also note that the strategic partnership with the U.S. is defined for Bulgaria by our NATO commitments as well as the agenda of the transatlantic dialogue. … The issue of the shared military facilities in Bulgaria comes also within the context of our bilateral strategic partnership. We believe the proposals for transformation of the military forces and the U.S. command in Europe, including the establishment of a rotating brigade stationed in Bulgaria and Romania, address adequately the new risks and threats to the security as well as Bulgaria’s interests and the need for stronger cooperation.”

In addition, on May 21, 2006, Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov called the Defense Cooperation Agreement with the U.S. “a strategic investment in the security of our country…” 

6. Will the U.S. pay rent for the bases?

These facilities are not being rented and will continue to be Bulgarian military bases, used by the Bulgarian military, under Bulgarian flag and under Bulgarian command. The United States expects to pay for any infrastructure improvements and services necessary for U.S. activities. Major improvements and investments in the joint military facilities will contribute to the modernization of the Bulgarian military.

7. What will be the economic benefit to Bulgaria?

The bases will have an important economic impact. They will bring jobs to local communities surrounding the bases, for persons who match the skill sets needed by the military and for business owners and employees who supply services for the military facilities and soldiers. Bulgarian companies will have the opportunity to compete for contracts to make infrastructure improvements to the bases.

Over the last couple of years, Bulgarian-American joint military exercises held at Novo Selo have brought an overall spending of more than three million dollars to Bulgaria in the form of services, supplies and equipment that was purchased from local businesses. In the last 15 years, the United States has provided over $140 million dollars in security assistance programs, including military education and training, foreign military financing and humanitarian assistance programs.

8. How can Bulgarian businesses learn more about procurement and contracting opportunities that will come as a result of the joint training facilities agreement?

The U.S. Embassy and American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria (AmCham) are working together to help Bulgarian companies access the commercial opportunities that will support the military training exercises.  U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR) plans on contracting for goods and services in Bulgaria to the greatest extent possible from Bulgarian sources.  Several conferences by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria were held in 2006 and 2007 in Sofia and other Bulgarian cities to provide a useful venue for Bulgarian business leaders to meet with experts who can explain the U.S. government contracting requirements for the joint-training facilities. More information is available at:  http://www.amcham.bg

9. What amount of money is allocated for the improvement of infrastructure on and around the shared military facilities?

The U.S. Congress approves these budgets and we are awaiting final figures. 
More information about specific budget figures is available on the website of the Embassy’s Office of Defense Cooperation:

http://bulgaria.usembassy.gov/odc_jtf_factsheet.html

10. Who can provide more information on contracting with the U.S. Army?

More information about upcoming tenders and contracting with the U.S. Army is available at https://www.fbo.gov/

In addition, U.S. forces will contract for certain support services as well as food, fuel and other supplies.

11. What will be the operational freedom of the U.S. military forces in Bulgaria? Will the United States use the bases to launch military strikes against other countries?

We have agreed on language that will ensure Bulgaria’s interests will be protected.  Bulgaria and the United States will consult about all aspects of the use of the facilities and training areas – nothing will happen on the bases without Bulgaria’s knowledge.

12.  How will the U.S. side consult and inform the Bulgarian side on the activities and plans of the American troops on the bases?

In the Defense Cooperation Agreement, the governments of Bulgaria and the United States determined to endeavor to hold consultations on a regular basis at the appropriate political-military level to discuss their bilateral defense and security cooperation.  Bulgaria’s Ministry of Defense and the United States European Command (USEUCOM) have finalized an Implementing Arrangement to the DCA that details exactly how and when these consultations will be held.  A Joint Commission, with representatives from the Bulgarian Defense Ministry and USEUCOM, will be formed in April, 2008 to conduct these consultations and provide direction on matters pertaining to implementation of the Defense Cooperation Agreement. The Commission will have two co-chairs, representing the Bulgarian and American side and four permanent members on each side. The Commission’s decisions will be made by consensus  of the two co- chairpersons. 

13. Will the shared bases increase the risk for terrorist attacks against Bulgaria?

No country in the world is free from the risk of terrorist attacks and no country can fight this battle on its own. We believe the best defense against terrorism is to continue working with allies like Bulgaria to improve our collective ability to fight terrorism through military training, sharing of intelligence information, and law-enforcement cooperation.

14. What about the legal jurisdiction over the American troops? Will they be accountable to the Bulgarian courts if they commit a crime?

The agreement builds on the NATO Status of Forces Agreement. Bulgaria retains the right to exercise its jurisdiction when it is in Bulgaria’s interest. In other cases, the United States will exercise jurisdiction over U.S. military and civilian personnel. The U.S. military has strict laws, regulations and a judicial system to which military personnel are held accountable.

15. There have been some claims that the United States will store nuclear weapons in the shared bases.  What comment do you have about these claims?

Deployment of nuclear weapons in Bulgaria is illegal under Bulgarian law.  The United States has no intention, no plan and no reason to deploy nuclear weapons on the territory of Bulgaria. 

16. Does the U.S. plan to deploy elements of the missile defense system to the joint military facilities in Bulgaria?

The joint military facilities are not intended to be involved in missile defense.  The proposed U.S. missile defense assets in Europe would defend the U.S. and Europe against longer-range ballistic missile threats launched from the Middle East.  The U.S. would benefit from redundant protection from attacks originating in the Middle East, while Europe would gain defenses where none previously existed.

Bulgaria, like other southern European countries, does not face longer-range threats from Iran, given its proximity to the Middle East.  NATO has focused its missile defense development efforts on countering shorter range threats.  The United States and NATO efforts are complementary and could work together to form a more effective defense for Europe.  (More information on the issue of missile defense is available on the U.S. Embassy website at bulgaria.usembassy.gov)

17. What kind of equipment and weapons will be used by the U.S. troops in the shared military facilities?

We expect a variety of deploying units to train at the shared military facilities.  This means that the equipment and weapons used will vary depending on the type of units deployed to Bulgaria.  Possible types of units are armor, mechanized infantry, airborne infantry or light infantry.  The type of equipment they will use will depend on the unit and the training requirements.

18. What level of preparation will the U.S. troops have? Basic training, seasoned veterans?

U.S. troops deploying and training in Bulgaria will be from an all-professional, active-duty combat formation. Most of the soldiers will have served combat tours in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. Those who have not will be training to do so. Much of the training that will take place at the shared military facilities will resemble the joint training American and Bulgarian troops have engaged in over the past several years in exercises such as Immediate Response.

19. What about pollution of the environment?

The U.S military is very sensitive to environmental concerns and has an excellent track record in protecting the environment. It has very high environmental standards and works extremely hard to reduce any kind of pollution.  American rules of waste disposal, for instance, are stricter than local laws. In some countries, the national standards are stricter than the American ones. The U.S. military always follows the stricter set of standards and tries very hard to be a good neighbor.

20. What is the status of the Defense Cooperation Agreement?

On April 28, 2006, in Sofia, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivaylo Kalfin and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed the Defense Cooperation Agreement, which includes the range, order, and conditions of the shared use of several military facilities on Bulgarian territory. On May 26, 2006, the Bulgarian Parliament ratified the Defense Cooperation Agreement and the Bulgarian State Gazette published the Ratification Law on June 6, 2006.  The Defense Cooperation Agreement entered into force on June 12, 2006.  11 additional arrangements, concerning the specifics of the Defense Cooperation Agreement implementation, were signed on February 28, 2008 and published in the State Gazette on March 18th, 2008 and the final one will be signed in April, 2008.  The finalized Implementing Arrangements  have also been published on the Embassy webpage, in Bulgarian and English:

21. Who can answer my questions regarding the joint military facilities?

The U.S. Embassy and the Bulgarian government are committed to providing maximum transparency and information regarding the joint use of the Bulgarian military facilities. For this purpose, two hotlines have been set up in Sliven and Graf Ignatievo where questions regarding the joint bases will be collected by municipal employees and answered in a timely fashion by the Bulgarian and American authorities. The phone numbers are:

Sliven - +359 44 61 62 14

Graf Ignatievo - +359 32 95 42 05

22. Where can a copy of the Agreement be obtained?

The full English and Bulgarian text of the Defense Cooperation Agreement has been published on the U.S. Embassy website http://sofia.usembassy.gov in PDF format: