NEWS

Bulgaria and the UK will enhance co-operation in security

Bulgaria and the UK will achieve even greater co-operation on security and British experts will help develop the laws regulating the operation of the Bulgarian security service, President Rosen Plevneliev told Bulgarian journalists in London after a meeting with UK Foreign Secretary William Hague.

“I am proud to be the President who managed to achieve full political consensus on the reform of security sector, and what has not been done by now will be done by the end of 2012,” President Plevneliev said. He said that he expects the new laws regulating the activities of the National Security Service, the National Intelligence Service and Military Intelligence to be adopted by the National Assembly by April 2013.

President Plevneliev thanked Minister Hague for the support rendered by the British authorities to the Bulgarian authorities to uncover the perpetrators of the bombing of Sarafovo Airport in Bourgas. “It is still premature to disclose information about the case, but the investigation is on the right track and with the support of our partners will be resolved, and the guilty punished,” the President reiterated.

President Plevneliev said that the main accent during his meeting Foreign Secretary Hague was on opportunities to expand economic co-operation between Bulgaria and the United Kingdom. According to the President, Bulgaria must use good working models for the creation of public-private partnerships, such as exist in the UK. “We have a statutory basis, but need successful projects. In Bulgaria we have yet to create such mechanisms and if we can do so, we will attract significant investments in the water sector, which are expected to reach 10-12 billion leva. The same can be achieved in terms of transport infrastructure,” the President said. He said that he had received an invitation to visit Britain again with a Bulgarian business delegation, which would deepen the partnership and create new contacts between business representatives from both countries.

Asked about Bulgaria's ability to restore its image as a good partner to British investors, the President was adamant that reputation is based on a job well done. “Therefore, the implementation of administrative reform and the creation of e-government are required,” he said. The President said that the upcoming meetings of business delegations from the two countries would strengthen the will to deepen bilateral economic ties and said that the trust of British business in Bulgaria is confirmed by the interest expressed in the privatization of strategic assets such as Port-Varna and Sofia Airport.

President Plevneliev told journalists that Bulgaria and the UK have similar positions on the European Union Multiannual Financial Framework for the 2014-2020 programme period. Both countries continue to believe that the Cohesion Policy is an important factor for economic growth. Foreign Secretary Hague reaffirmed the position of the UK that the amount of funds for the financial instrument should not be reduced.

At their meeting, President Plevneliev and Foreign Secretary Hague also discussed opportunities for diversification of sources and routes of supply of energy resources to Europe, EU enlargement policy and other matters.