site.btaForeign Minister Mitov: Bulgaria Has Always Supported NATO's "Open Door" Policy

Foreign Minister Mitov: Bulgaria Has Always Supported NATO's "Open Door" Policy

Brussels, May 19 (BTA correspondent Nikolay Jeliazkov) - Bulgaria has always supported NATO's "open door" policy and will continue to support it, Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov told Bulgarian journalists at NATO Headquarters in Brussels Thursday.

Mitov said he expects that more countries will join the bloc gradually. "You know the candidates. Bulgaria will make every effort to help them, as it did in the case of Montenegro," he said in connection with the NATO Accession Protocol for Montenegro which was signed earlier in the day. "With Montenegro's accession, the region will become more stable, and this is precisely what we aspire to achieve: security, stability, coordinated action, particularly in the field of security and defence. We are very glad that in times of geopolitical instability and insecurity NATO holds an attraction for the countries in the region."

He said Thursday's signing of the Accession Protocol for Montenegro was something very positive for the country, the region and NATO.

Concerning a NATO foreign ministers' meeting which will discuss relations with Russia, Mitov said there are no surprises, and noted that NATO has been obliged to react to the imbalance along its eastern flank and Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine and unlawful annexation of Crimea. "The strengthening of the eastern flank and the readiness will continue to develop in a way that is coordinated with all our partners," he observed.

The Foreign Minister said military exercises are being conducted in Bulgaria on a rotation basis and details about them are being disclosed to the public. "There is nothing to raise concern in anyone," he said. "We and our allies must take care of our security. There are too many geopolitical challenges, we cannot allow ourselves to ignore them and not reinforce our defence capabilities."

According to him, there is enough infrastructure in Bulgaria which is being used by the country's own armed forces and allied forces. Rotating exercises are conducted all the time and they contribute to security, he said.