The budgets of the institutions in the Security and Defense sectors, which are limited due to the economic crisis, may have negative consequences for the security of the citizens in a long-term perspective. “Therefore I call on everyone to adhere to the decisions planned in the White Book on Defense and Armed Forces and to secure the necessary funding worth not less than 1.5 percent of the GDP allocated to security and defense.” This is what President Rosen Plevneliev told the participants in the 11th international conference “Security in South-East Europe – seeking intelligent solutions.” In his statement, the Head of State called on everyone to make sure that the funds allocated to security meet the contemporary challenges.
The Head of State reiterated that the major problems the efficient functioning of the national security system faces is the incomplete establishment of the legal framework which should regulate the activity of the individual services and the “piecemeal” work in this sector. “Therefore I would like to address all institutions once again regarding the security sector and to call on them to resume the consensus reached in 2012 to adopt the package of four bills, which was supported by all political parties represented in parliament and by all institutions,” President Plevneliev said.
The President told the participants in the forum that under the conditions of unpredictability, of threats of asymmetrical character and the challenges the stable development of the states is facing, for Bulgaria integration and the closer cooperation with our EU and NATO partners means greater security. “We can judge what the situation would have been if we had had to face alone the inhuman terror act in Sarafovo,” Rosen Plevneliev pointed out.
The Head of State also said that apart from the external threats our national security is facing, Bulgaria will also have to address solving issues such as migration, demography and the efficient use of our own resources which will guarantee a stable development of society. “Therefore as far as the issues related to the national security are concerned, we should obligatorily think in a long-term perspective – up to 2020 and beyond that period. And in this respect the leading topic concerns the national program for development “Bulgaria 2020” and the reforms related to it, which requires that a national consensus is reached,” President Plevneliev emphasized.