Bulgaria approves draft agreement with Italy on building, use of military facilities in Kabile

Sofia: Bulgaria’s Cabinet approved at a regular meeting on August 13 a draft agreement with Italy on the joint construction and use of military facilities on the territory of the Kabile military district near Yambol, according to a statement by the government information service.

In fulfillment of the commitments of the Republic of Bulgaria as a full member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato), the construction of military infrastructure intended for the multinational battle group located on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria is underway, the statement said.

“The construction of military facilities on the territory of the Kabile military district is a strategic step to strengthen the defence capability of the Republic of Bulgaria and Nato,” the statement said.

“It will provide the necessary infrastructure for the deployment and support of the multinational battle group, as well as the possibility of its expansion.”

In June 2025, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov announced that the design of the base would be assigned to the Nato Support and Services Agency. At that time, he announced that a design contract would be signed.

Three thousand personnel will be stationed at the base.

In December 2024, Zapryanov, then caretaker Defence Minister, said that at the base, there will only be facilities for accommodation, training and sports facilities at the location where a multinational Nato brigade is planned to be deployed, in the Kabile military district.

Zapryanov said at the time any ammunition that will be used will be stored in Bulgaria’s warehouses outside of populated areas and barracks areas. “Neither ammunition nor other hazardous materials are planned to be stored,” he said.

He said that the brigade will have a barracks area close to the existing one.

In July 2023, it became clear that Nato envisages the formation of a powerful brigade for Bulgaria from very well-trained units of several countries.

The then-Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov said that this would increase the number of Alliance soldiers by four times.

According to the approved regional plans for the defence of the Alliance from Russia, the current Nato battalion battle group in Bulgaria should become a brigade.

By Nato standards, a battalion combat group is about 1300 soldiers, and a brigade is about 5000 soldiers. In practice, there are several battalions in a brigade.

Currently, there is one multinational battalion group in Bulgaria of about 1200-1300 people, with Italy as the framework country.

Also in July 2023, it was announced that Bulgaria was proposing to Nato the creation of a multinational divisional headquarters to be located in the Kabile and Bezmer region.

This was made clear at the time by the Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov, who was part of the Bulgarian delegation at the Alliance summit in Vilnius.

This will practically mean that in the event of a threat against Bulgaria, not only the Alliance’s multinational battle group, which has already been decided to become a brigade, will be deployed, but also an entire division, including at least three brigades.

The idea is to create such a headquarters similar to the one already existing in Romania, which manages the Southeast Division.

After the creation of such a multinational divisional headquarters in Bulgaria, it will lead two Bulgarian brigades plus the multinational battle group, as well as, if necessary, more forces and assets.

“There will be as many servicemen as are sufficient to provide a quick and adequate response,” Eftimov said.

“Currently, the basis of the land component in Bulgaria are the two Bulgarian brigades, the multinational battle group. We will be ready to accept more Nato forces – Allied forces and assets. And this multinational divisional headquarters will be able to take command of these forces and assets,” he said.