The aviation capacity of the country has been reduced to a critically low level, the Bulgarian Aviation Association said in a statement. Aviators oppose all kinds of manipulations of public opinion that have qualified the stance of the aviation staff of Graf Ignatievo air base as a “rebellion”, “protest” or “strike”.

On 24 October pilots from Graf Ignatievo air base refused to fly saying they felt insecure flying MiG-29s. Deputy Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov said the hesitation of some of the pilots was prompted by insufficient flight hours.

In turn, Defense Minister Krassimir Karakachanov commentedthat tensions among the military pilots in Graf Ignatievo were created artificially.

The BAA statement reads as follows: “The artificial confrontation created by high-ranking state officials between different army services damages seriously the Bulgarian national security and defense”. They are convinced that the Minister of Defense and the Air Force Command will do their best to solve as soon as possible the problem of providing regular flawless flights, both in the Graf Ignatievo airfield and in the entire military aviation.

The statement of aviators has been circulated to the President, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Defense, the Air Force Commander, and the Commander of the Graf Ignatievo airfield.