US "Lily Pads" in Ex Russian Republics taking shape.

SOFIA 14.5.05: The US Congress has decided to use three Bulgarian military bases for the deployment of US forces, Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolay Svinarov said yesterday a US governmental delegation was expected to arrive in Bulgaria soon to discuss bases.

Bulgaria, joined NATO last year ,with six other ex-communist nations, and has declared its willingness to provide training grounds for U.S. troops.

In December 2004, Svinarov had told AFP that a permanent deployment of US troops to Bulgaria would involve up to 3,000 people.

In January 2005, General James Jones, The Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe (NATO), said in Sofia that he planned to recommend to the US Congress “four or five” military bases in Bulgaria.

The Bulgarian government approved NATO to modernisation of the Graf Ignatievo (which first hosted American aircraft participating in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan )and Bezmer military airports in a 59 million Euro ($79 million) deal in March 2005.


General Jones has subsequently visited possible base locations (pic shows James Jones, and Bulgarian General Nikola Kolev in January 2005) – the Novo Selo base near Sliven, in eastern Bulgaria, which used for several years as a training centre for French and Italian army troops. The Ist Armoured Division based in Weisbaden, Germany, will send 500 troops to Novo Selo Training Area to train with the Bulgarian army from June 12 to June 23 this year said said Maj. Mike Indovina, 1st AD spokesman to Reuters. Indovina He also visited the Bezmer airbase near Yambol, to the southeast, and another in the Black Sea port city of Bourgas.


The Graf Ignatievo airbase, near Plovdiv in the south, the naval base at Atia and the airport of Sarafovo, in Bourgas, are other bases that have been considered.

Sarafovo was used by the US to station refueling aircraft during operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. (see post re USAF using Incurlik base in Turkey for re-fuelling operations)

On August 4-5 2003 General Jones, visited Romania to arrange for the US use of bases in the forthcoming wars in Afghanistan and the illegal invasion of Iraq.