site.btaNATO Secretary General, Bulgarian PM in Phone Call Ahead of NATO Leaders Meeting

November 18 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke over the phone ahead of the NATO Leaders Meeting in London December 3-4, said the government press office Monday.

The Bulgarian delegation to the meeting will be headed by President Rumen Radev.

In their phone call, Borissov assessed in highly positive terms the issues on the agenda of the London meeting. "I believe that the decisions at this high forum will bring about a further enhancement of the defence and deterring capacity, and the trans-Atlantic bond between Europe and North America," he said.

He said that Bulgaria considers the unity between Europe and North America more important than ever, considering the present-day risks and challenges to the international security environment.

Borissov said that Bulgaria appreciates the role of the Alliance in protecting security, freedom and democratic values. "For us, the Bulgarian national security and defence are guaranteed only as part of the NATO collective defence system," said he.

After the upfront payment for eight F-16V Block 70 fighter jets from the US, Bulgaria's defence spending will reach 3.1 per cent of the GDP by the end of 2019, which overshoots the 2 per cent target, said Borissov.

He told the NATO Secretary General that his country's efforts are focused in three areas: increasing defence spending, modernizing and rearming the Armed Forces, and overcoming the personnel shortage.

"Bulgaria will continue to participate in the efforts of the Alliance towards world peace and security. We see out participation in NATO missions and operations as a key priority," said Borissov.

He paid special attention to the role of joint training, which helps improve the interoperability of the Bulgarian Armed Forces with the other Alliance members.

The two leaders also talked about cooperation between NATO and the EU and the role of the Alliance as a groundwork for European security.

They were adamant that it is important to stand up for the shared values and principles: freedom, human rights, democracy, rule of law - which is what makes the countries strong.

Jens Stoltenberg was on a visit to Bulgaria last spring on the invitation of Boyko Borissov.