Belgium has approved the transfer of four decommissioned minehunters to Bulgaria under a contract worth €24 million (over $28 million).
The vessels will be modernised at Belgian shipyards before being deployed by Bulgaria in the Black Sea. Defence Minister Theo Francken said the deal would strengthen NATO’s presence in the region while also supporting Belgian industry.
“Bulgaria will receive ships it can deploy in the Black Sea, and our Belgian industry will benefit from €24 million in employment and high-tech contracts,” Francken said. “In this way, we are not only strengthening NATO but also our own economy.”
He added that transferring the ships allows Belgium to avoid the costs of maintaining or dismantling older vessels as the navy transitions to a new generation of mine countermeasure ships.
Under the agreement, Bulgaria will cover the costs of modernising and maintaining the minehunters in Belgium, ensuring long-term contracts for Belgian companies and continued technical support for the Bulgarian navy.
Francken also noted that three Dutch vessels could be added to the programme in the future.
Russia has violated an energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelen...
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world. ...
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi ...
The explosion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday afternoon killed at least 12 people and injured a further 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority. The airport remains closed until further notice.
Yemen's Houthis renewed warning to airlines, airport workers, and travellers against using Saudi airports, saying the warning should be taken seriously and that the kingdom “bore responsibility for failed interceptions”, a day after an attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed 12 people.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow also halts strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
Russia has violated an energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday, urging Washington to step in to ensure that Moscow abided by the terms of the putative agreement.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine is ready to respect the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, but only if Russia does the same, saying Moscow has already violated the agreement.
China has announced sanctions against Belize’s foreign minister and Paraguay’s communications minister over their countries’ diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The move comes as Beijing continues to pressure the few remaining nations that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment