site.btaPM Borissov Meets with NATO's Military Committee Deputy Chairman, Says Bulgaria Is Loyal NATO, EU Member

PM Borissov Meets with NATO's Military Committee Deputy Chairman, Says Bulgaria Is Loyal NATO, EU Member

Sofia, August 14 (BTA) - Meeting here on Sunday with Lieutenant General Mark O. Schissler, Deputy Chairman of NATO's Military Committee, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that this country is a loyal member of NATO and the EU and has proven its Euro-Atlantic orientation, said the government press office.

Gen, Schissler is on an official three-day visit here at the invitation of Bulgarian Chief of Defence General Konstantin Popov.

Borissov and the guest discussed the challenges for NATO in the region and called for finding common solutions while respecting the interests of all member states.

"Bulgaria continues to pursue a balanced policy and maintains contacts at various levels with its neighbours, despite the problems they have. It has been able to preserve relative calm at its borders," the Prime Minister reportedly said.

Gen. Schissler is quoted as saying that NATO values Bulgaria's contribution and the efforts of Prime Minister Borissov.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting with the Prime Minister and the NATO official, Gen. Konstantin Popov said that there is readiness to deploy more service personnel to the border in order to help ensure its security, if needed. He added, though, that for the time being there is "no particular tension" at the border.

Asked to specify how many service personnel may be deployed, he said that the number will be adequate to the migration pressure: the more illegal migrants, the more servicemen will be send to help protect the border.

Gen. Popov said that the issue of a possible Black Sea flotilla was discussed at the meeting with Gen. Schissler and Prime Minister Borissov expressed clearly the Bulgarian position that the Black Sea should be a tension-free zone.

"There is not going to be a flotilla in the Black Sea, but Bulgaria can request the same support as Greece did in the event of an increased migrant wave, with many vessels carrying migrants. This is not the case as of yet," he added.

The Bulgarian Chief of Defence said that NATO cannot be expected to provide support at the Bulgarian land border in the event of an increased migrant flow. This is not the Alliance' mission, he said. LN/





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