Balkans | Radev: Bulgaria is negotiating support measures to protect the EU’s external borders

Speaking to the press ahead of the EU Council meeting in Brussels, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said: “Bulgaria is increasingly emerging as a country that creates important initiatives and generates ideas that contribute to the formulation of effective EU policies, as well as the rational defense of our interests.” The President emphasized that thanks to the consistent and rational position of our country in numerous meetings of the Council of Europe, Bulgaria has made significant progress in the EU policy in the field of migration.

“Just a few days ago, our country, together with the European Commission, started a pilot project to reduce illegal immigration and strengthen our borders,” Radev said. The President expressed his gratitude to the President of the European Commission and the European Union countries for their solidarity and common determination to protect the external borders of the European Union and for the support extended to Bulgaria’s steps in this direction.

“A new strategic approach to protecting the external borders of the Union was adopted on March 14 and 600 million euros will be invested in technical assistance. It was noted that the first priority is the main border between Bulgaria and Turkey. Most of this money goes to Bulgaria,” he said, adding that the Bulgarian side is already actively negotiating on Technical parameters for this assistance.

Since the smugglers caught in our country are citizens of almost all EU member states, Bulgaria has put forward a proposal to create an international task force to combat human trafficking in the territory of our country.

“From the interrogations of these smugglers, it was revealed that a number of the administrative and financial centers of this powerful international network are not in Bulgaria, but in countries that attract migrants.” The President stressed that this international task force will facilitate coordination and exchange of information, as well as joint actions aimed at breaking the centers of combating human trafficking in Europe.

According to the President’s statement, all the efforts and results achieved by Bulgaria are more and more appreciated, and our country is getting more and more support for Schengen membership, including a certain period when it can be achieved. Radev said: “I hope that the next government and parliament will continue this momentum and pass the necessary laws and firmly defend the interests of our country.”

In response to a question, the President stressed that Bulgaria is an important part of the EU peace mechanism, which aims to strengthen the defense capabilities of EU countries in light of Europe’s vision of strategic autonomy. The President stated that “Commissioner Thierry Breton’s visit to Bulgaria started as a sign of appreciation for the traditions, experience and great capacity of the Bulgarian defense industry” and that our country continues to attract investments in this sector in order to make it more modern. Production and replenishment of our stock with the EC he will do.

“Nevertheless, he emphasized that Bulgaria, along with nine other EU countries, did not participate in the joint supply of ammunition to Ukraine as part of this initiative,” Radev stressed.

The President also noted that Bulgaria is interested in implementing technologies that will enable it to produce ammunition according to NATO standards, and the purchase of 155 mm howitzer ammunition according to NATO standards is also provided for in the Priority Investment Costs Program submitted by the Ministry of Defense to the former House of Representatives. “Unfortunately, Parliament rejected this program and did not even discuss it,” Radev said. You know how much there is talk about the modernization of the Bulgarian army, but at the same time the program of the Ministry of Defense is not discussed.

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