New Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov, whose government assumed power three weeks ago, has pledged increased support and better security for the country's defense industry following a second serious fire in less than a year at a private arms company.
The fire broke out in a storage room at Bulgarian arms dealer Emilian Gebrev's EMCO arms company in Karnobat, eastern Bulgaria, the manufacturer told RFE/RL on June 25.
It was the second recent suspicious incident at the site after a fire led to an ammunition explosion on July 31 last year.
Denkov, speaking on June 26 after ordering inspections and increased security at all defense factories in Bulgaria.
"The most worrying thing about the whole situation is that in over the past 20 years, especially during the last 10, such explosions have happened periodically. There was one in 2021, in a very similar way. We have no information either from the services or from the investigative bodies about the outcome of these investigations," said Denkov.
SEE ALSO: Special Investigation: Bulgarian Blasts, Russian Agents, And The War On UkraineHe blamed the incident on "malicious powers," in a probable reference to Russia.
In April 2021, Bulgaria expelled a Russian diplomat after the country's authorities said they suspected six Russian citizens of involvement in a series of blasts that hit four Bulgarian weapons and armament facilities over the previous 10 years.
Arms manufacturer Gebrev said after the first explosion at his EMCO company in July last year that he was "100 percent sure" Russian operatives were behind the fire, though he acknowledged to RFE/RL that he had no direct evidence.
It remains unclear whether any of the munitions stored at the Karnobat depot last year were destined for Ukraine.
In 2015, Gebrev survived an apparent poisoning attempt that he blamed on Russia.