NEWS

Rosen Plevneliev: The diplomatic and economic means employed to resolve the existing Middle East conflicts have not been exhausted

The military operations, the escalation of the existing conflicts and the growing political, ethnic and other radicalizations in the region pose serious risks and threats to our country. These are part of the conclusions drawn during the debate on the first item on the agenda of the first meeting held in 2013 of the Consultative Council for National Security (CCNS). So far the diplomatic and economic means employed to resolve the existing Middle East conflicts have not been exhausted and Bulgaria should support the international efforts put into stabilizing the region, President Rosen Plevneliev emphasized, summarizing the results of the CCNS meeting.

The president said that the factors of key importance for Bulgaria’s national security are the crisis in Syria and the settlement of the conflict between Israel and Palestine, which can be achieved only through direct negotiations between the two sides. Bulgaria and the EU will go on working to support the democratic changes in the region, the head of state added.

The migration pressure is increasing. Different types of measures have been taken – organizational, technological and others, about which the government briefed the CCNS members.

At the meeting of the Consultative Council Deputy Prime Minister Tsvetanov informed the CCNS members about the progress of the investigation into the terror act committed at the Sarafovo Airport in July 2012. The President said that the investigating authorities are in charge of providing specific information and only they can provide details and assess what information on the progress of the investigation can be released. Rosen Plevneliev recalled that the investigation has not been completed yet. The head of state added that a serious progress of the investigation has been made and that this fact is highly appreciated both in Bulgaria and abroad.

The CCNS members agreed on a position regarding the assault on Ahmed Dogan, leader of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, committed on 19 January 2013: “the Consultative Council for National Security strongly denounces the assault on Mr. Ahmed Dogan as an unacceptable criminal act. The competent state authorities and institutions, working on the case, should not leave any doubt in the public as to the unbiased nature of the findings of the investigation and should do their job quickly and to a high standard”, the CCNS position states.

The CCNS members also propose that the National Guard Service should streamline its organizational structure, the secondary legislation and administrative acts regulating its activities, the training and continued training of its officials, the operational systems for planning, coordination, interaction and control. The National Guard Service should develop a program for the technical and technological modernization of the security devices and renovation of the premises and facilities, for which the necessary funding should be provided.