NEWS

Opinion and suggestions made by the Consultative Council for National Security regarding the current risks and threats for the national security of the Republic of Bulgaria

The Consultative Council for National Security (CCNS) discussed the current risks and threats for the national security of the Republic of Bulgaria coming from: the social and political tension in the country; the processes provoked by the crisis in the Middle East and North Africa and the related increased migration pressure to the country.

The CCNS members agreed on the opinion that the escalation of the social and political tension in the country requires that all state bodies and political forces show greater responsibility. Joint categorical actions should be taken so as to obey the laws and strengthen the trust in the public institutions.

Although the CCNS members voice their unconditional respect for the right to stage protests, they categorically insist that this constitutional right of the Bulgarian citizens should be exercised within the law. CCNS calls on the political forces and other organizers of protests and rallies to refrain from and disagree with actions which would additionally mount the tension and would aggravate the political and social crisis. Moreover, the CCNS is adamant that the multi-party system has no alternative. The political differences and alternatives are not its negation, but its natural part. The CCNS members recommend that the prime minister should initiate at one of the next meetings of the European Council on behalf of the Republic of Bulgaria the development and adoption of common European rules and regulations securing greater transparency of the property owned by senior politicians from the EU member states and their incomes, as well as those of their families.   

The CCNS members unanimously share the opinion that risks are posed to the national security, including those in a humanitarian, health and social aspect, provoked by the increased migration pressure. In this respect the competent institutions should adopt a common approach and share a common resource. The CCNS requires that the Council of Ministers periodically reports the implementation and updating of the Plan for curbing the crisis provoked by the inflow of refugees.

A strong public and political support is necessary directed at the potential threats for the ethnic and religious peace in the country. Bulgaria should fulfill the commitments it has taken on, which are the result of the international agreements, coupled with the integrated efforts of the central and local authorities. The problems caused by the migration pressure on our country are not only Bulgarian, but also European.

The organizational, functional and resource capacities of the country to cope with the increased migration pressure should be promptly and adequately additionally developed. In this respect funds will be provided for the institutions so that they could perform their functions regarding the protection of the national security.

With a view to the current state of the security environment, the ?onsultative Council for National Security makes the following recommendations:

1. The legislative and executive branches of power should create the necessary regulatory, organizational and financial conditions which should give the individual units of the national security system the opportunity to build capacities that reflect the risks and threats posed to our country.  

2. All political parties and institutions should categorically disagree with and pool efforts to react against the attempts to threaten the ethnic peace in this country, stirring up xenophobia and hatred, and against the division of society.

3. The executive branch of power and the main units in the security sector should actively analyze the processes that generate risks for the country’s security and should create the necessary conditions for counteracting them. Special attention should be paid to the trends in the migration processes and the likelihood of their  becoming a long-term threat to the national security.

4. All institutions should actively work for coming up with a unanimous European decision to take common actions, as well as for triggering the different mechanisms for achieving European solidarity to the effect that the EU and the individual member states provide financial, expert and technical help to Bulgaria.

5. The executive branch of power should actively analyze the processes related to the energy supplies for the country and take adequate measures to avoid disrupting them, should accelerate the work on building interconnectors as well as securing the necessary reserve which should assist our country in overcoming a possible energy crisis.