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Bulgarian contingent duty in Multinational Division Central South came to an end Dec. 17. Multi-National Force - Iraq CAMP ECHO, Iraq, Dec. 19, 2005 — Bulgarian contingent duty in Multinational Division Central South (MNDCS) came to an end Dec. 17. During the farewell ceremony, MNDCS Commanding General Maj. Gen. Piotr Czerwinski thanked Bulgarian soldiers for their outstanding duty in MNDCS. "I would like to thank you personally and all Bulgarian soldiers who served so far in Iraq," said Czerwinski. "Your commitment has always been contributing to the success of the Multinational Division." During the ceremony, Bulgarian soldiers were awarded by...

SOFIA - The US Congress has decided to use three Bulgarian military bases for the deployment of US forces, Defence Minister Nikolay Svinarov said on Saturday. “It has not yet been clarified which exactly those bases will be, but we know there will be three of them,” Svinarov told BTA news agency. A US governmental delegation was expected to arrive in Bulgaria in the coming days to discuss the bases, the Bulgarian army said last week. The stationing of US troops in Bulgaria is part of a broader US strategy of shifting troops based in Europe further east. The aim...

SOFIA, July 9 (Reuters) - Bulgaria pledged unwavering support for U.S. policy in Iraq despite the kidnapping of two Bulgarian civilian truck drivers by militants and said it was making desperate efforts to save them. Defence Minister Nikolai Svinarov told reporters after a security council meeting in Sofia that contact had not yet been established with the kidnappers. "Firstly, we will try to extend the deadline which expires at 11 p.m. tonight (2000 GMT on Friday)," he said. "The situation is very difficult." The estimate was based on Bulgarian time, which is three hours ahead of GMT. A firm supporter...

Politics: 15 May 2004, Saturday. Bulgaria has completed successfully the recruitment of soldiers for the third unit to be deployed in Iraq. Colonel Georgi Karumchev from the headquarters of the Bulgarian army specified that the preparations of the soldiers at Marino Pole proceed as scheduled. A nearly 500-strong Bulgarian stabilization force patrols Iraq's second holiest Shiite city of Karbala, 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Baghdad, as part of a 9,000-strong force under Polish command. A number of problems accompanied the recruitment of the third Bulgarian unit as dropouts expressed willingness to leave Iraq due to the rising tension in...

<p>BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- The leaders of Australia and Bulgaria visited their troops in Iraq on Sunday, a show of support for the U.S.-led coalition that follows announcements from Spain, Honduras and the Dominican Republic that they plan to pull out.</p>

· 3 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq Attacks AP - 1 hour, 47 minutes ago · A Daily Look at Iraq U.S. Military Deaths AP - 1 hour, 54 minutes ago · Transfer of Power to Iraqis Scheduledwashingtonpost.com - 2 hours, 27 minutes ago Special Coverage   Between 25 and 30 soldiers of the second Bulgarian contingent, due to leave for Iraq in early January to replace the troops there now, have decided not to go on the mission, said Gen. Nikolai Kolev, the army chief of staff. The withdrawals would not affect Bulgaria's mission in Iraq, he added....

I sent an email to the Bulgarian embassy thanking them for their support and got this in reply. I though others might be interested and could also thank them. Thank you, for your warm words..... On February 7, 2003 the Bulgarian Parliament voted with 165 in favor, none against, and 48 abstentions on a Resolution to grant the United States and future international coalition forces overflight, temporary basing and transit rights in Bulgarian territory. The Parliament also authorized the deployment of Bulgarian nuclear, biological and chemical protection unit (up to 150 troops) to Jordan, Saudi Arabia or Kuwait in support...

SOFIA, Bulgaria, Mar 14, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Bulgaria said Friday it will back a British plan pressing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to take concrete steps to avert war, saying it opens up prospects for a new consensus in the U.N. Security Council. "The government has authorized the Bulgarian permanent representative to the U.N. Security Council to say that we will support the British proposal," Foreign Minister Solomon Pasi said in a national radio interview Friday. Pasi spoke from Tokyo, where he was on an official visit. Pasi said Britain's proposal that Saddam take six steps to ease...

'US may move bases' Staff Reporter BULGARIA will take a position on the draft resolution on Iraq after the weapons inspectors presented their findings, and consultations were held with all UN Security Council members, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lyubomir Todorov said on Tuesday. Bulgaria will take a position based on its sovereign interests, Todorov said. However, Bulgaria was already considered a very close ally to the United States, especially in the light of the numerous media reports that the country was going to host US military bases. According to Todorov, the moving of US military bases to Bulgaria would be a...

This small Balkan nation has found itself mired in the Iraq crisis, along with the big players like the US, Germany, France, the UK and Russia. As the last-minute game of diplomatic tennis goes into the tiebreaker stage, Bulgaria finds itself one of just a handful of countries which, officially, have wholeheartedly embraced the anti-Saddam stance promoted by US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. But not all Bulgarians are happy with their country's resolute attitude. The celebrations last November were mingled with disbelief. Mighty Nato had extended an invitation to Bulgaria to join the club. It...