No Evidence of Sabotage in ‘Vezhen’ Ship Incident, Bulgarian Authorities Confirm

The investigation into the Bulgarian ship "Vezhen" by Swedish authorities is ongoing, with no evidence yet to suggest that the incident was a result of sabotage, according to Plamen Tonchev, the Chairman of the State Agency for National Security (SANS). Speaking in parliament, Tonchev emphasized that the agency continues to investigate all possibilities, though no data currently supports the sabotage hypothesis. He also noted that information gathered from NATO, Sweden, and Latvia confirms that the cables damaged were not solely those of Latvia but also those belonging to a country that could be seen as hostile to NATO.

In addition, Tonchev dismissed any claims that foreign agents or criminals were part of the Bulgarian crew. The ship, registered under the Maltese flag, has a crew of eight Bulgarians, including the captain and seven officers. He mentioned that one crew member had previously been convicted for driving under the influence but had been rehabilitated in 2013. No other criminal activities or foreign operatives have been identified.

The Swedish Coast Guard detained the "Vezhen" after it was suspected of intentionally severing an optical fiber cable in the Baltic Sea between Latvia and Gotland. Despite initial reports of potential sabotage, Swedish authorities have not issued a complete inspection report. On January 28, four crew members, including the second mate, third mate, chief engineer, and boatswain, were questioned by Swedish police. The captain and senior assistant were interviewed separately aboard the ship. As of now, there has been no formal criminal prosecution against any of the crew members.

Regarding the ship's jurisdiction, Grozdan Karadzhov, Bulgaria’s Minister of Transport and Communications, clarified that the ship is under Maltese jurisdiction. The flag state retains authority over the ship, including investigations into any maritime incidents. He confirmed that the ship was detained for an investigation by Swedish authorities, which had not yet produced a full report.

Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev emphasized that Bulgaria’s image was not at risk due to the incident, as the country was not involved in any way. He reiterated that the ship’s crew was in contact with consular services and their families, and there were no restrictions on their movement aboard the ship. Georgiev also noted that while the Swedish authorities were still investigating, Bulgaria’s foreign policy and international relations were not threatened by the case.

Georgiev also cautioned against political escalation of the situation, as it could potentially harm Bulgaria's reputation. He reassured parliament that no accusations had been made linking Bulgaria to any form of sabotage, and no evidence had been found to implicate the country in such activities. The investigation remains ongoing, with updates expected as further information becomes available.

Sources:

• BNR
• BNT
• Dnevnik