Bulgaria’s Premier Boyko Borissov convened an extraordinary meeting of the Security Council at the Bulgarian Council of Ministers to discuss the complicated situation in Syria and the possible risks for Bulgaria. Premier Borissov informed this country’s President Rumen Radev about the discussion and summarized that no migratory pressure was registered along the Bulgaria-Turkey border. As for the military operation of Turkey in Syria, the Bulgarian government continues to believe that Turkey should cease this operation and the solution of the conflict should be found through diplomatic means.

The deputy premiers of Bulgaria, the ministers of interior, defense and finance, the chief of defense and the heads of the Bulgarian services participate at the Security Council. That is why every discussion at this council is an evidence of high concern. In this case, it was prompted by a series of dramatic events in the past 24 hours. The USA called on Ankara to stop the invasion. This country withdrew 1,000 soldiers from North Syria and threatened Turkey with severe sanctions. The EU condemned the military actions in Syria and decided to restrict arms trade with Turkey. The NATO Secretary General warned that Turkey’s operation may destabilize the whole region, but the President of Turkey Recep Erdogan made a diametrically opposite assessment stating that the operation in Syria would contribute to the regional and global security. Under these circumstances, Sofia apparently fears that the relations with Turkey will strain and probably that is why this country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ekaterina Zaharieva said in Luxembourg that the communication channels with Ankara should remain open.

Several days ago, the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior warned that the number of migrants attempting to enter Bulgarian territory from Greece has increased, but meanwhile said there was zero migration pressure along the Bulgaria-Turkey border. The Bulgarian government contends that Ankara has been fulfilling its obligations under the migrant agreement with the EU and yesterday this country’s Foreign Minister Zaharieva confirmed this position at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. Meanwhile, Bulgaria’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense Krasimir Karakachanov said in Sofia that Bulgaria does not rule the possibility of massive migration pressure, because the military actions in Syria continue and large groups of people may head in any direction. However, Deputy Premier Karakachanov noted that even under such circumstances Bulgaria should not become initiator of sanctions or sharp positions. In Premier Borissov’s words, Bulgaria would lose billions of Euros in case of possible sanctions imposed on Turkey.

After the Security Council Premier Borissov pointed out that Bulgaria is against Turkey’s military operation in Syria, but it will continue to support the EU-Turkey migrant agreement as long as this country fully respects this agreement. Premier Borissov’s words mean that Bulgaria’s position remains unchanged. The Bulgarian authorities will continue to monitor carefully the situation along the border with Greece and Turkey and will be ready to implement the operational action plans in case of massive migration pressure.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov