EU Commission President Faces GPS Jamming in Bulgaria
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen encountered serious navigational challenges during her visit to Bulgaria on Sunday, as a jet transporting her to Plovdiv faced GPS jamming that forced the pilot to rely on paper maps for landing, reports 24brussels.
The incident occurred while von der Leyen toured an arms producer in Sopot, accompanied by Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov. According to EU officials, information from Bulgarian authorities suggests that “they suspect this blatant interference was carried out by Russia,” as stated by Commission spokesperson Cécile Podestà.
This disruptive act highlights the critical nature of von der Leyen’s visit to frontline EU member states, where she is witnessing firsthand the ongoing threats posed by Russia and its affiliates. “This incident underlines the urgency of the President’s current trip,” Podestà emphasized.
GPS jamming and spoofing techniques have escalated, preventing aircraft from utilizing essential navigation systems such as U.S. GPS or European Galileo. These tactics distort the location data and represent a growing concern for both civilian and military operations across Europe.
European governments have raised alarms about this deliberate interference, noting its prevalence in the Baltic Sea region since 2022. They have called on the European Commission to take decisive action against Russia and Belarus to mitigate these threats.
As tensions continue to mount, the EU must confront the challenges posed by such disruptive actions, reinforcing the necessity of collective security and the establishment of resilient communication infrastructures across member states.
