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Rosen Plevneliev: In Warsaw We Will Demonstrate Our Will and Unity and will Clearly Say that NATO is the Main Source of Security and Stability

The state and government leaders of the NATO member states who will meet in Warsaw will discuss the challenges related to the deteriorated security environment along the Alliance’s Eastern and Southern flanks. The Bulgarian position at the summit will be presented by Head of State Rosen Plevneliev.

Ahead of his participation in the North-Atlantic Council’s first working session in the Polish capital, the President said that what will be demonstrated in Warsaw is unity and will. Moreover, it will be clearly stated that NATO is the main source of security and stability not only for Bulgaria, but also for all member states and Europe.

The Head of State reiterated that all institutions in Bulgaria have a clear, unified and coordinated position on the risks the Black Sea region is facing. “We will voice our concern over the disrupted balance in the region and over the speeded up militarization of Crimea by the Russian Federation. We will clearly state that NATO should show commitment to the security of the member states from the Black Sea basin and we expect that the Black Sea’s strategic importance for the security of the NATO member states from the region will be recognized,” Rosen Plevneliev said. “NATO’s eastern and southern flank should not be neglected. We insist on an increased presence there, on better coordination, on conducting more joint military exercises and on improving the national defense capacity and the NATO partners’ capacity as well,” President Plevneliev said. “Since joining NATO, our country has consistently supported the Alliance’s increased presence in the Black Sea,” the Head of State added. Bulgaria’s principled position  concerns  the Alliance’s enhanced forward presence in the Black Sea, to the East and South, adapted to the needs of each member state and under NATO’s command, President Rosen Plevneliev further emphasized.

At the forum in Warsaw Bulgaria will welcome Montenegro’s participation as an observer and a future member of the Alliance. Our country was one of the first states to ratify Montenegro’s accession protocol and this strongly indicates Bulgaria’s active position in the region, the Head of State said. Bulgaria will also demonstrate a clear commitment to the Alliance’s policy of open doors and will show that the country is active and knows how to work to ensure security and stability in the region, the President added.

The state and government leaders of the NATO member states will make a review of their achievements after the decisions endorsed in Wales in 2014. The Alliance’s member states will reaffirm their firm commitment to implementing the decisions made in Wales, including the gradual increase of the spending on defense. Bulgaria is successfully fulfilling this commitment and the share of defense spending from the GDP is no longer reduced. “The Consultative Council for National Security played a decisive role in implementing these decisions. I will make sure that this strategically important for Bulgaria commitment is met,” the Head of State said.

As a contribution to the common security of all NATO allies, the leaders are expected to approve the deployment of four multinational battalions on rotational  basis in the Baltic States and in Poland  and to discuss setting up a multinational brigade in Romania. “These military units are completely defensive in nature, show solidarity with the countries which feel threatened and demonstrate the Alliance’s capability to defend each member state,” Rosen Plevneliev emphasized. Bulgaria is ready to take part with up to 400 servicemen in the multinational brigade in Romania which will conduct military exercises to improve the interoperability and coordination among  the partners in NATO.

The state and government leaders will also endorse decisions to improve the stability against threats in cyber-space, and also in response to contemporary challenges such as hybrid and terrorist threats. The leaders will single out cyber-space as an operational field of defense activities, just as land, maritime and air space are viewed. The President recalled that during the general election and the referendum in October 2015 cyber-attacks were launched against Bulgarian institutions and defined them as aggression against statehood and the democratic process.

The Alliance will also support the international efforts to fight human trafficking and the illegal migration in the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea.  We should carefully monitor and not allow the creation of alternative migration routes. If it happens, including in the Black Sea basin, we will insist that NATO and the EU respond by conducting an operation similar in terms of efficiency and scale to that in the Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea,” President Plevneliev said.

Bulgaria has a firm and principled position regarding the Russian Federation’s actions in Crimea, President Rosen Plevneliev further said. “Our position will fully take into account the risks and challenges coming from the East, and with the aim to support defense we should increase the security level of all NATO members states proportionally and in line with the Alliance’s legal and political commitments.  The communication channels for a political dialogue with Russia remain open and this will be emphasized at the summit,” the President said.

On 9 July in Warsaw the Bulgarian President will take part in the meeting of the NATO-Ukraine commission. Bulgaria consistently supports Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity, and also the international efforts to solve the crisis in Ukraine via peaceful and diplomatic means. “We should be aware of the scale of this conflict, which has dire consequences for the Ukrainian people. We will insist that the commitments of all parties to the Minsk agreements are completely fulfilled. There is no other alternative,” the Head of State said. The NATO Defense Ministers’ decision to increase the support through the Comprehensive Assistance Package to Ukraine was also endorsed at the summit. Bulgaria is a leading nation in the trust fund for the treatment and rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers and is highly valued by its partners, the Head of State said.

The Alliance’s leaders will also discuss continuing the “Resolute Support” mission in Afghanistan after 2016 and continuing the financial aid for the Afghan security services until 2020. Bulgaria will continue its participation in the NATO mission until the end of 2016 and thereafter, the President informed.

During the summit the President will make four statements before the Alliance’s partners. The summit will start with a meeting of the NATO North-Atlantic Council at the level of state and government leaders after which the challenges security faces from the East and the relations with the Russian Federation will be discussed in a working meeting.

On 9 July the Bulgarian President will take part in the meeting on Afghanistan with the partners from the “Resolute Support” mission. At a second working meeting of the North-Atlantic Council opinions will be exchanged on the challenges security is facing from the South. A meeting of the NATO-Ukraine commission will also be held.

The delegation headed by the Head of State includes Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov, Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev, permanent representative of the Republic of Bulgaria to NATO Ivan Naydenov, the Chief of Defense Constantin Popov and others.