Bulgarian Parliament Ratifies Agreement on Regional Special Operations Command
2024-08-08 14:56:40
The Bulgarian parliament ratified a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of National Defense of Romania regarding the establishment of the Headquarters of the regional component command of special operations. The vote saw 118 deputies voting in favor, 38 against, and 4 abstaining.
The memorandum was signed in Washington, United States, during the NATO Summit on July 10 of this year. The Headquarters is scheduled to become operational from the beginning of next year, with the two countries alternating in hosting the command every two years.
The agreement outlines that the Headquarters will not be permanently operational but will be activated according to the national procedures of both countries and in accordance with NATO mechanisms for participation in operations, exercises, and training.
Once fully operational, each country will take turns serving as the Lead Nation, hosting the command. The rotation period is one year, extendable to two under certain circumstances. Romania is currently scheduled to take command first.
The Headquarters will have command and control capabilities for multinational Special Operations Forces and supporting forces, and will be used for both training in peacetime and defensive operations in wartime. The agreement does not require any additional infrastructure or investments from either country.