Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Bulgarian Air Force intercept trainer aircraft with transponder shut off and make it land

| updated on 7/14/22 5:28 PM
Photo: BGNES

On July 13, the Air Force intercepted a small Cessna-150 aircraft, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense has reported. After locating the aircraft flying without permission over the town of Svishtov, MiG-29 jets escorted it to an airport near Pleven.

It was later found out that it was a civil aviation training flight, but the plane did not have its transponder on. The pilot of the plane, Valery Iliev, an instructor from a private school for pilots, described the case as an "annoying mistake", BNR reporters informed.

The Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter jets have been raised in the sky on a signal from the NATO command in Torrejón, the outgoing Minister of Defense Dragomir Zakov announced at a briefing. He pointed out that apparently the actions of the plane were perceived as a potential risk and described the pilot's behavior as irresponsible for national security, especially in the current situation.


Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Minister of European Affairs Maida Gorčević

Montenegro is relying on Bulgaria’s support for its accession to the EU

We are relying on Bulgaria for our accession to the EU, Minister of European Affairs of Montenegro Maida Gorčević said in an interview with BGNES. Chinese investments are not a threat to European integration because the lessons of the past have..

published on 4/17/25 11:25 AM
Marta Kos (L) and Rosen Zhelyazkov, 17 April, 2025

Bulgaria supports EU enlargement depending on the candidates’ individual progress

Together with PM Rosen Zhelyazkov we discussed the EU plan for a new Black Sea strategy which the European Commission will present soon, announced EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, who is paying an official visit to Sofia . EU..

published on 4/17/25 11:09 AM
Marta Kos

EU expects Bulgaria and North Macedonia to reach agreement on Bulgarian minority

In an interview with public service TV BNT, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, who is on a working visit to Bulgaria, stated that Ukraine and the Ukrainian people very much wanted to become part of the EU and that at this rate we can hope to see..

published on 4/17/25 10:53 AM