site.btaSofia Sends Its Condolences over Manchester Concert Attack

Sofia Sends Its Condolences over Manchester Concert Attack

Sofia, May 23 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and other state and party officials sent messages of condolences to the UK over the deadly bombing in Manchester Monday night. The deadly blast in Manchester Arena killed 22. The Foreign Ministry in Sofia said that no Bulgarians are known to have been hurt.

In a message to Queen Elizabeth, President Radev wrote that it grieved him to hear the news of the bloody terror attack in Manchester. "I want to express Bulgarian people's and my own heart-felt condolences to the families of the victims," the President said as quoted by his Press Secretariat.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has sent a message of condolences to his British counterpart Theresa May, said the government press office Tuesday. In his message to Prime Minister May, Borissov expresses hope that the British law-enforcing services, in cooperation with the competent services of the partner countries, will reach the perpetrators and take them to justice. "Our thoughts are with the sorrow and horror of the people of the United Kingdom," the message says.

Parliament leader Dimiter Glavchev has sent his condolences to John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva has written to her British counterpart Boris Johnson. "Bulgaria is shocked by this horrifying and inhuman act of cruelty. No cause justifies such barbaric actions," Zaharieva wrote as quoted by her Ministry. She further said that the Manchester Arena attack is yet another proof of the need of determination and solidarity in the joint efforts to eradicate terrorism, and that Bulgaria will continue to participate actively in the efforts of the international community to preserve the values of democracy.

A statement of condolences also came from the leader of the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party, Kornelia Ninova.

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said that the Bulgarian Embassy in the UK is monitoring the situation and keeping in contact with the local authorities.

A Bulgarian national situation centre held a meeting over the Manchester bombing on Tuesday morning under the leadership of Interior Minister Valentin Radev, and it found that there is no immediate threat for Bulgaria, said Radev's Ministry. The situation centre analyzed the risks for this country, including the risk of a terror attack and reconfirmed the low risk level. Measures were ordered to increase police presence at places where large groups of people gather.