Bulgaria Says Ship Traffic to Black Sea Ports Remains Steady Despite Military Operations

Jerusalem, 20 October, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Tvarditsa (BTA) = The ships to Varna and Burgas, which serve the Bulgarian economy, have not stopped and will not stop, Prime Minister Rumen Radev told journalists on Tuesday. He rejected claims about the suspended movement of the merchant fleet in the Black Sea and pointed out that there is currently no such risk for Bulgarian shipping. The Prime Minister participated in the ceremony for the groundbreaking of a battery park for storing electrical energy in Tvarditsa.

Radev said that he had requested a report from the Ministry of Transport and Communications for the period from the beginning of October until yesterday, compared with the same periods in September and last year.

According to him, traffic to and from the ports of Burgas and Varna has increased by 30 ships compared to the same period last year. There is no difference between traffic during the comparable periods of last and this month, he added.

“Let those who sow hysteria stink,” said the Prime Minister and declared that Bulgarian shipping would continue.

The government is working with allies and using the tools of diplomacy to ensure that there is no risk to shipping to the ports of Burgas and Varna, Radev pointed out.

Earlier, the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Peev also assured that there was no reduction in ship traffic at the ports of Varna and Burgas in the month of military operations. According to Peev, the effect of military operations and strikes close to Bulgarian territory will be observed in the future. Peev added that the government is working hard to ensure export conditions for grain producers. Railway transportation is being discussed, the government is developing various measures to ensure optimal conditions, he added.

During an October 13 meeting with Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Eleonora Mitrofanova, Radev said that although Bulgaria is not a party to the Russia-Ukraine war, it is suffering significant economic and financial damage. The attacks in the Black Sea have already led to an increase in the risk for commercial shipping and insurance prices, and even refusals to transport cargo to Bulgarian ports.