Bulgaria will allow American military aircraft to remain on its territory only until the end of June, after the United States failed to approve the removal of visa requirements for Bulgarian citizens, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Friday, according to Reuters.
„I fully understand the complexity of regulatory procedures and the need for time, but we also have our priorities and procedures, and we cannot positively respond to the request for long-term stationing of aircraft and tanks at Sofia airport,” Radev said, quoted by the BTA news agency.
Earlier this month, Radev spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump and requested the suspension of visa requirements for Bulgarian citizens in the U.S.
Radev stated that he insisted on the issue being urgently reviewed but did not receive a positive response.
Bulgaria hosts American military aircraft in its capital, Sofia, under an agreement valid until the end of May.
Radev stated that the government will make a decision on Friday to extend the stay of American aircraft until the end of June, to give the U.S. time to reconsider its actions.
Radev scored a landslide victory in the parliamentary elections on April 19.