European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Bulgaria during her tour of seven countries neighboring the Ukraine conflict. Arriving in Plovdiv, she was welcomed by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. They visited VMZ-Sopot, where von der Leyen observed the production capabilities, discussing modernization and new development potential.
A meeting was held with the Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov, Minister of Economy and Industry Petar Dilov, and GERB leader Boyko Borissov. The EC plans to invest in expanding ammunition production at VMZ Sopot to bolster EU defense capacity, creating around 1,000 jobs in Sopot. Von der Leyen highlighted Bulgaria’s crucial role in the defense sector, noting its significant contribution to Ukraine.
The European SAFE instrument allocates 150 billion euros for joint defense procurement, aiming to boost production and create jobs. The Sopot project exemplifies this vision. Zhelyazkov emphasized Bulgaria’s strategic importance and the need for strong security guarantees, supported by EU and NATO partnerships.
Boyko Borisov praised the joint venture plans for shell and gunpowder production at VMZ, noting the creation of thousands of jobs and the importance of a robust defense.
An incident occurred with von der Leyen’s plane, which had an emergency landing at Plovdiv due to suspected Russian GPS jamming. The investigation is ongoing. Von der Leyen continued to Sopot via helicopter, where she and Zhelyazkov inspected VMZ.
VMZ-Sopot, a Bulgarian state-owned company, produces various munitions and has a significant defense role, with a history dating back to 1936 and numerous contributions to Bulgaria’s military industry.
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