Bulgaria Restates Plans of Inclusion in US Missile Defense

Defense Minister, Anyu Angelov, during the Saturday press conference, speaking about Bulgaria’s willingness to participate in the US defense system in Europe. Photo by BGNES

Bulgaria will request participation in the US missile shield in Europe and intensification of the dialogue with NATO, Defense Minister, Anyu Angelov, confirmed Saturday.

Angelov, who spoke at a special press conference, said the topics will be discussed during the visit of NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in Bulgaria on May 20.

The Minister also pointed out that discussions about exact technical parameters and details about what parts of the shield will be located in Bulgaria have not yet taken place, but are forthcoming.

Angelov explained the possibility of a local conflict is almost inexistent, but there is a threat of attacks on strategic facilities and infrastructure by small and medium-range ballistic rockets from countries far away from Bulgaria thus the need of inclusion in the NATO anti-missile system.

The Minister further said he would appraise Fog Rasmussen about the activities of the Bulgarian army as they relate to NATO missions, the State’s concept about NATO participation and the real threats the county is facing.

The country's position on plans to deploy US interceptor missiles on Bulgarian soil was presented by Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, during the meeting of US President, Barack Obama, with leaders from Central and Eastern Europe in Prague on April 8.

Borisov said that Bulgaria and all countries in Eastern Europe lack any protection and abilities to react and even the nuclear power plants are unprotected.

“The question about Bulgaria's support for a new US missile defense system in Europe has not been officially posed, but when this happens, the Parliament will have the final say,” Borisov told Obama, stressing that Bulgaria must be the active partner.

Meanwhile, neighboring Romania announced that it would host interceptor missiles as part of a US missile defense system on its soil.

A US State Department official has said earlier the facilities in Romania are to become operational by 2015 and are designed as protection against "current and emerging ballistic missile threats from Iran."

The planned deployment in Bulgaria and Romania comes after US President Barack Obama scrapped plans for a radar and interceptor missiles in the Czech Republic and Poland, which Russia fiercely opposed as a national security threat and a blow on its nuclear deterrent.

The plans have drawn sharp criticism from Moscow, where officials described the earlier project to base radar and missiles in the Czech Republic and Poland as a threat to Russia.

Washington says the missile shield is designed to protect against short- and medium-range missiles from Iran, and is not directed against Russia.

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