site.btaExperts and Politicians Discuss Geopolitics and Security at Sofia Forum

Addressing the opening of the Europe on the Global Scene: Geopolitics and Security forum here Friday, Teodor Stoychev, head of the European Parliament Liaison Office in Bulgaria (EPLOB), said that the European Union originated in response to a serious crisis in Europe.

"Whenever it faced similar challenges, it managed to come out stronger. This time it will be the same," Stoychev said at the forum taking place at the EPLOB building in Sofia.

The event aims to discuss the paths for Europe and Bulgaria in the new geopolitical situation, by placing an accent on the foreign relations and security, EPLOB said.

"Lately, news is so abundant and important that at times it’s hard to follow and keep up. Sometimes it is hard to even make sense in greater perspective of the possible consequences of all these events," Stoychev said.

He drew the audience’s attention to the Rearm Europe plan presented on March 4 by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which can reach EUR 800 billion in the next five years.

Participants in the discussions include MEPs Andrey Kovatchev, Kristian Vigenin (Socialists and Democrats) and Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew Europe), the National Assembly's Foreign Policy Committee Chair Yordanka Fandakova, National Assembly Defence Committee Chair Hristo Gadzhev, EU Affairs Committee Chair Dimitar Gardev, Sofia Security Forum President Yordan Bozhilov, The Atlantic Club of Bulgaria Defence Policy Director Velizar Shalamanov and European Council on Foreign Relations Deputy Director Vessela Tcherneva.

The discussion was livestreamed via EPLOB's Facebook page and YouTube channel.