Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

Bulgaria will look into the possibility of having a ship of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) - equipped with the latest technology to deal with major oil spills - to be based in one of our sea ports. This was stated by the Executive Director of EA “Maritime Administration,” Sergey Tzarnakliyski at a press conference after the completion of the joint workshop organized by EMSA and the Republic of Bulgaria. The participants in the workshop agreed that it was a success and that it had achieved the predetermined goals. It was because of this workshop that we were able to check the coordination between Bulgaria and the European Agency. The analyses we are about to make will help us in assessing the country’s readiness to react appropriately in similar disasters, added Sergey Tzarnakliyski. According to Bern Blum, head of “Pollution Preparedness and Response,” Bulgaria is a reliable and loyal partner to the Agency. No country can overcome such a major oil spill on its own and that is why the EMSA has built a network which can assist any Member State of the Community, he added.

From the Bulgarian side the participating bodies were two cutters “Savior 1” and “Savior 3,” the border police cutter of the Border Police Station Varna and two cleanup ships. EMSA used two specially-equipped ships to quickly react to oil spills – m/ “GSP Orion” and m/t “Santa Maria.” The Bulgarian Navy was prepared to participate as well with a helicopter MI 14 and a medical cutter. The Bulgarian Maritime Training Center had secured a ship for the observers.

At the workshop there were representatives of the EA “Maritime Administration,” EMSA, Varna’s local government, the Bulgarian Navy, Border Police, etc. 

For additional information:
Milan Martinov, Press Centre,
Ministry of Transport, Information Technology
and Communications
Phone: + 359 2 940 96 25
E-Mail: mmartinov@mtitc.government.bg