Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania ink deal to remove floating mines from Black Sea

ANKARA — NATO allies Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding for a joint initiative to clear drifting mines in the Black Sea region, which have proliferated since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

The Mine Countermeasures Naval Group in the Black Sea (MCM Black Sea) was signed by Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, his Romanian counterpart, Angel Tilvar, and Bulgarian Deputy Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov in Ankara. 

Under the deal, the three countries will launch mine hunting activities mainly in participating countries’ territorial waters and exclusive economic zones.

“Initially, anti-mine ships from only the three Black Sea allies are envisaged to participate in the MCM Black Sea,” the Bulgarian Defense Ministry said in a statement after the signing ceremony.