An agreement will be signed between Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria on the interconnection of four ports, Greek media reported on Thursday, paving the way for the creation of a military mobility corridor between the three countries and significantly reducing Turkey’s role in NATO operations.
The initiative will mark a significant step forward in strengthening NATO’s defense and deterrence capabilities in the region, according to a press release from Romania’s Ministry of National Defense (MApN).
“Working closely with Bulgaria and Greece will enable us to respond more effectively to current and future security challenges. We will continue our discussions and remain open to other similar initiatives, which will strengthen Romania’s role within the North Atlantic Alliance,” added Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tîlvăr.
The letter of intent will be signed by the three defense ministers (Nikos Dendias, Atanas Zaprianov, and Angel Tîlvăr) and covers the ports of Thessaloniki, Alexandroupolis, Varna, and Constanta.
The agreement will lead to the creation of a harmonized military mobility corridor, which increases the strategic and geopolitical importance of Romania and Bulgaria, strengthening NATO’s eastern flank.
“All four cities have ports, a railroad, and a road network that contribute decisively to the resilience and the ability to easily deploy allied forces to NATO’s eastern flank,” said a senior Greek military source, as cited by G4Media.
Moreover, NATO’s fuel network will be extended from Kavala and Alexandroupoli to Bulgaria and Romania. These measures practically diminish Turkey’s importance in defending NATO’s eastern flank, and the Bosporus strait has a diminished role. The city of Alexandroupoli, at the eastern edge of Greece will thus become the largest NATO military hub in the region.
