site.btaBoyko Borissov: Talking against EU, NATO Yields Benefits in Bulgaria

Boyko Borissov: Talking against EU, NATO Yields Benefits in Bulgaria

Sofia, February 21 (BTA) - Addressing a roundtable on the security and public order plank of GERB's platform, the party's leader Boyko Borissov said the EU and NATO were being deliberately turned into a cliche. "If one is against those organizations and does not reckon with them, one reaps political dividends. Talking against German Chancellor Merkel makes one proud of oneself," he said.

The event was organized by the Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria Association and the Hanns Seidel Foundation.

The former prime minister stressed that only the EU had provided financing to Bulgaria. "That is why it is fashionable to oppose all who have invested millions of euro in Bulgaria," he said, criticizing the EU-bashing.

Talking about migrants, Borissov explained that his second cabinet built all that was needed, "but at the [November 2016] presidential elections we were faced with artificially created problems both in Ovcha Koupel and Harmanli, and we managed to deal with them". He was referring to problems at the two migrant centres.

The number one challenge to Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and the EU is to enhance the border security capacity, with an emphasis on the repatriation of illegal migrants. GERB deputy leader Tsvetan Tsvetanov said the party would seek an increase in the number of troops along the border.

The modernization of Bulgaria's borders with Macedonia and Serbia on 320 million leva from the European Commission is forthcoming, said Tsvetanov. A fence has been built along most of the 272 km land border [with Turkey - editor's note], with just small stretches still uncompleted.

The migrant centres in Pustrogor and Harmanli should be transformed into closed-type holding centres.

To fight household crime, GERB suggests to work towards improved coordination among the state institutions responsible for crime prevention. This includes a link-up between welfare benefits and school attendance; drug testing of school students with the parents' consent; increased information exchange with Interpol on cross-border operations, especially those targeting contraband goods.

Roumyana Buchvarova, who was interior minister of Borissov's cabinet, said the Counter-Terrorism Act showed Bulgaria was ahead of Europe in terms of modern legislation. In two and a half years, the Chief Directorate for Combating Organized Crime has proved to be very efficient, she said. The fight against radicalization was placed on a sound basis.