NEWS

 

President Rumen Radev held a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who is visiting the Novo Selo training ground today to get acquainted with the activities of the Multinational Battle Group with Italy as the host country. 

 

During the talks, the two discussed the challenges related to the complicated security environment in Eastern Europe and the need to strengthen the defence capabilities of the Alliance member states in the region. The Head of State underlined the actions Bulgaria has undertaken to modernise the Armed Forces and said that he expects the Bulgarian National Assembly and the government to continue supporting this process. The President also called for the expedient construction of the NATO oil pipeline in Eastern Europe, which will increase the security of energy supplies in the region. 

 

For his part, Rutte underlined Bulgaria's contribution to the collective security system and the importance of the modernisation process of the Bulgarian Armed Forces and highlighted the high professionalism of the Bulgarian service people. In view of the serious geopolitical challenges the Alliance is facing, Rutte called on the member states to accept a higher percentage of the agreed minimum expenditure in the national budgets for the modernisation of the armed forces and the enhancement of their defence capabilities.

 

In her greeting, the head of state highlighted the professional experience and fruitful work of Ambassador Meyer in Bulgaria, and in her words, his efforts have encouraged cultural and educational ties between the two peoples

The focus of the talks was also the administrative-territorial reform in the country

The President, as the supreme commander of the Armed Forces, is in constant contact with the relevant Bulgarian institutions and security bodies

The growing hate speech and the retreat from human rights protection were among the main topics of conversation between Bulgarian Head of State Iliana Iotova and American Jewish Committee CEO Theodore Deutch. The two met on the sidelines of the 62nd Munich Security Conference.