site.btaSofia Hosts International Conference on "Towards a New EU Defence Identity"

Sofia, May 4 (BTA) - Addressing an international conference titled "Towards a New EU Defence Identity" here on Friday, Deputy Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov said the EU should remain a global stability factor and achieve military autonomy.

Zapryanov elaborated on the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), which was launched last December. Bulgaria participates in three of the 17 PESCO projects and has observer status in three more.

Zapryanov said a new EU defence identity requires funding from the EU, adding that Brussels allocates funds for research and innovation. The Deputy Defence Minister noted the need to avoid a duplication of resources and efforts from NATO and the EU.

Macedonian Defence Minister Radmila Sekerinska said that if the EU is to be a successful global factor, it must be a successful regional factor. In her view, the positive changes resulting from the renewed attention to the Western Balkans are a step in the right direction.

Sekerinska added that despite a certain skepticism about enlargement, security is undoubtedly United Europe's top priority, which cannot be achieved if there are blank spots on the continent. She noted that a lengthy political or strategic vacuum could be filled with threats to European security.

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said the Europeans should reorganize the way they defend themselves. The first steps towards creating a European Defence Union have been taken - it is not NATO's rival but complements the Alliance, she said. The EU will never become a military union per se, but it should start operating in zones with Europe-related problems, such as Africa, for instance.

Von der Leyen also talked about the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) process. She mentioned examples of the fragmentation of the European countries which, unlike the US, have different types of tanks and aircraft. In a European Defence Union the countries can do their planning and buying those systems of the future together, she said.

The German official discussed the European Defence Fund, saying that for the first time the EU budget will have a defence appropriation.