NEWS

The President: By the end of 2016, it should become clear how Bulgaria will bring its long-term goals and programs in line with the set global ones

President Rosen Plevneliev will promote a national debate on the global agreements with regard to the large-scale movements of refugees and migrants, climate change and the 2030 Goals  for sustainable development. "By the end of 2016, it should become clear how Bulgaria will bring its long-term goals and programs in line with the set global goals", the head of state said before the Bulgarian media representatives in New York, where the president is continuing his working visit for the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly.

The head of state recalled that Bulgaria had developed a long-term plan for the country's development until 2020, and it was namely in the presidency that national consensus had been reached.

As regards the criticism leveled by NGOs to the effect that the New York Declaration on managing the large movements of refugees and migrants did not outline any specific commitments, the president said the Paris Agreement on climate change was also the target of such criticism. "After all, a year after the agreement on climate change was reached, the countries on the planet undertook specific steps, and this is responsible political action.  This is why I welcome such criticism as it helped us reached a sufficiently ambitious agreement" the head of state said.

Bulgaria now enjoys respect and gratitude for its principled position on the migration crisis, President Rosen Plevneliev, taking a journalist's question. "It is we, the Bulgarians, who have been adhering to the rules of the Dublin agreement and the Agreement from Schengen since the start of the migration crisis. It was back in 2014 that we clearly said we saw no contradiction between the protection of EU's external borders and the protection of human rights", the head of state further recalled.

"A country should address people's fears. A state is a state if it controls its borders.  In the event of foreign nationals' uncontrolled passage through our territory, the state should perform its role and introduce control while protecting human rights and freedoms", President Rosen Plevneliev further commented.

At the debate held during the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly, heads of state and governments from all over the world voiced concerns over the resumption of the military operations in Syria, the head of state said.  "It is high time that all people realized that resolution of this conflict cannot possibly be delayed any longer and that the Security Council should assume its role.  A lasting resolution may be made only by UN Security Council", President Rosen Plevneliev went on to say.

At the UN headquarters in New York, the head of state held a number of bilateral talks with his counterparts and with representatives of international organizations. On 22 September at about 3 pm local time, President Rosen Plevneliev will deliver his last speech in his capacity of head of state from the rostrum of the UN General Assembly.