During the official visit of Italian Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto to Bulgaria, our country and Italy united around a strategic initiative. Both nations support the establishment of a unified European center to effectively counter the growing number of hybrid threats.
Guido Crosetto emphasized the seriousness of the problem, stating: "The destruction caused by bombs is visible, while that of hybrid warfare is not, but it inflicts just as much damage. We are not talking only about cyberattacks, but also about disinformation. Our societies are exposed to this hybrid war daily, while our enemies act undisturbed. That is why we must build a comprehensive approach at a European level to understand how to respond."
The meeting between the ministers took place at Bezmer Air Base, where defense cooperation was the main focus of the discussions. Dimitar Stoyanov, Minister of Defence, added: "We supported this concept – that such a unified center in Europe truly needs to be created. Exactly where and how it will be located is not that important. What is important is that there must be such a center to fight against the interesting, I would say, threats of today. Because cyberspace, drone attacks—all of this is part of modern warfare."
Also on the agenda is the question of practically dealing with these invisible weapons, which include cyberattacks, disinformation, and the dangers posed by drones. The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence is already taking action through a project to acquire anti-drone systems to ensure the security of strategic sites in the country.
Since building such protection is a process that requires significant time and serious resources, Sofia and Rome are firm in their position: Europe needs joint action to neutralize the daily attempts to destabilize society.