SOFIA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Bulgarian frigate Verni set sail from the naval base at Burgas on Thursday to join NATO's maritime security operation Sea Guardian 2016 in the Mediterranean Sea, officials said.
The frigate, with its 130-member crew, is to participate in the Sea Guardian operation until Dec. 5, the defense ministry said in a statement on its website.
"Bulgarian participation in the operation is an expression of our solidarity and active contribution to NATO's efforts to ensure the security of the maritime environment in the region," the ministry said.
The Sea Guardian operation was created at the Warsaw NATO summit in July 2016 instead of Active Endeavour, and is currently providing support to maritime situational awareness and to counter-terrorism at sea. It is also contributing to maritime security capacity-building in the Mediterranean Sea.
Bulgaria, a NATO member since 2004, first participated in an Active Endeavour operation in 2005.
