site.btaNational Assembly Ratifies Bulgaria-SHAPE Garrison Support Agreement for Deployable Communications Module

National Assembly Ratifies
Bulgaria-SHAPE Garrison Support Agreement
for Deployable Communications Module


Sofia, April 9 (BTA) - Bulgaria's Parliament Thursday ratified a
Garrison Support Agreement (GSA) between Bulgaria and the
Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) for basic
maintenance of a Deployable Communications Module (DCM-F). The
vote was 120 in favour (GERB, the Movement for Rights and
Freedoms (MRF), the Reformist Bloc, the Patriotic Front, ABV,
the Bulgarian Democratic Centre and one independent), 20 against
(BSP-Left Bulgaria and Ataka) and six abstentions.

Under the GSA, Bulgaria is to staff the national DCM module with
two commissioned officers and 55 non-commissioned officers and
soldiers. The national modules may be used for national goals,
provided that this does not prejudice obligations to NATO. The
maintenance of the personnel is a national responsibility,
according to the text.

Building the infrastructure needed for this module is a project
under the NATO Security Investment Programme. The implementation
of this project on Bulgaria's territory was approved by Council
of Ministers Decision of August 29, 2012, and its stationing
within the compound of the army base in the Village of Gorna
Malina (31 km Northeast of Sofia) was ordered by a Council of
Ministers Decision of May 5, 2011. The maintenance costs are
shared between the Alliance and Bulgaria's Defence Ministry. The
Bulgarian national DCM is part of the Communication and
Information Systems (CIS) Group's 2nd Signals Battalion, based
in Grazzanise, Italy. It is basically designed to provide
communication and information support to Allied headquarters at
operational level when they participate in missions, operations,
exercises and crises.

Ataka moved for a roll-call vote on the ratification, but the
motion was defeated. The nationalists again urged for
neutrality. "Bulgaria's interest should be served, Russia will
not take a favourable view of this move," Desislav Choukolov MP
of Ataka said, addressing the legislature.

Valeri Zhablyanov MP of BSP-Left Bulgaria commented that
"Bulgaria is surrounded by security." "Turkey, the staunchest US
supporter, is next to us, armed to the teeth," he added. The
opposition MP argued that the module is developed to secure
NATO's offensive formations from Bulgarian territory and turns
the country into a potential target. "The European Socialists
have long opted for NATO, but the Soviet Socialists cannot
accept membership in it. The BSP has been at this crossroads for
25 years," Martin Dimitrov MP of the Reformist Bloc responded.

Yanko Yankov MP of the MRF spoke in support of the GSA, saying
that at this stage Bulgaria lacks financial capability and a
sufficient potential of its armed forces to safeguard its
national security on its own. "Bulgaria must be a high-quality,
well-integrated NATO member, and there should be benefits,
including financial ones, from this membership," he argued.

Vladimir Toshev MP of GERB pointed out that Parliament completes
what was started under the Sergei Stanishev Government. "It's
not about combat vehicles and armoured personnel carriers, but
about several computers and transmitters. It's about a CIS
module of SHAPE which operates in Belgium and not in the US," he
emphasized. PK/LG


/СН/