Antikoron Systems and Border Defense Upgrades Deployment
“The situation is so dynamic that there is no usual reaction time. We will act at an accelerated pace,” Director of Border Police Anton Zlatanov stated on Nova Television, as Bulgaria prepares new technical equipment for border protection, including counter-drone systems and an additional border patrol vessel acquired with European funding. Zlatanov emphasized that these new technologies demand inter-institutional coordination and the targeted development of anti-unmanned aerial vehicle countermeasures.
Bulgaria already possesses anti-drone systems, and the equipment along the Bulgarian-Turkish border featuring radar and anti-drone technology is scheduled for completion by the end of the year, according to segabg.com. The next priority for the agency is securing the Black Sea border. Zlatanov recounted that a recent rescue operation off the Bulgarian coast—where border police assisted in rescuing sailors from vessels struck by drones—unfolded amid rapidly deteriorating weather conditions. Within two hours of the operation’s start, sea swells increased from two to four balsa, nearing the operational limit for such actions.
Border Control Checks and the Iva Mihailova Case
Addressing the case of Iva Mihailova, who fled North Macedonia while facing trial for a fatal traffic collision late last year, Zlatanov stated there was no breach at Bulgarian border checkpoints. Segabg.com reported that Bulgaria has already sent a response to Macedonian authorities confirming that the border control system recorded no crossings through the Bulgarian-Macedonian checkpoints. An ongoing inspection has been ordered by the Minister of the Interior, and specific details regarding Mihailova’s stay in Bulgaria remain withheld until that review concludes.
Black Sea Border Operations and Future Priorities
The operational focus for Border Police now centers on expanding radar and anti-drone capabilities to maritime boundaries following the completion of land-border installations.