“BULGARIA 2025” is NATO’s 20th major civil emergency response exercise, organized by the EADRCC together with Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior, took place from 7 to 12 September 2025 near Montana, Bulgaria. The exercise aimed to enhance resilience and disaster preparedness, strengthen civil-military cooperation, and improve interoperability among participating Allies, partner nations, and international organisations.
The scenario included a major earthquake in the region, triggering a cascade of emergencies - structural collapse, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents, water and urban rescue operations, large movements of population, information manipulation/disinformation, and other secondary or cascading risks. Participants tested cross-border coordination, host-nation support capacity, logistical coordination, emergency medical response, and other response disciplines in realistic, multi-hazard settings.
This exercise underscores how complex emergencies today are rarely single dimension: they involve natural disaster, technological risk, and hybrid threats (including disinformation). For policy, it shows the importance of building systems that are resilient, responsive, and well-coordinated across civilian, military, governmental, regional and international lines. For countries, this means investing in infrastructure, first responder capabilities, civil protection institutions, and legal/regulatory frameworks that allow for cross-border aid and cooperation.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can India enhance civil-military coordination and use emerging technologies to improve disaster and crisis management nationwide?
Follow the full news here: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_237591.htm?selectedLocale=en