site.btaNATO Secretary General Stoltenberg Arrives in Bulgaria

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Bulgaria on Sunday evening. At Sofia Airport, he was welcomed by the head of the National Assembly Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Daniel Mitov, Bulgaria’s Parliament said in a press release.

Mitov thanked Stoltenberg for his visit which comes as Bulgaria celebrates the 20th anniversary of its accession to the Alliance. The Bulgarian MP acknowledged the Secretary General’s leadership and personal contribution to keeping NATO united at times of severe geopolitical confrontation.

Bulgaria's National Assembly is hosting the Spring Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NPA) between May 25 and 27.

The NPA Defence and Security Committee, Science and Technology Committee, Committee on Democracy and Security and Political Committee met in Sofia on Saturday and Sunday.

NPA President Michal Szczerba will open the Plenary Spring Session at 8:30 a.m. on Monday. Stoltenberg will address the nearly 400 participants representing the 32 NATO member countries and 25 partner countries and parliamentary organizations. The Secretary General will also participate in a Q&A session moderated by Szczerba.

Other speakers at the plenary session include National Assembly Deputy Chair Rositsa Kirova and Bulgaria’s caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev, the press release said.

The participants in the NPA Spring Session will discuss key issued on the agenda of Euro-Atlantic defence and security with a focus on support for Ukraine. In Sofia, the Assembly is expected to adopt recommendations for the priorities of the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., in July 2024.

Later on Monday, Glavchev will confer with Stoltenberg. After a one-to-one session, they will be joined by caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryano and the Chief of Defence, Admiral Emil Eftimov.