NATO Center in Bulgaria 'Could Remain Unaccredited'

NATO has reportedly criticized a Defense Ministry decision to subordinate the CMDR Center to the national military academy, Rakovsky Defense and Staff College (in the photo). Photo by BGNES

A decision at the Defense Ministry could prompt the alliance to refuse accreditation for a NATO structure in the country, reports by a Bulgarian media outlet reveal.

Citing information given out to Brussels by high-ranking NATO officials, the daily Sega argues that a Center for Crisis Management and Disaster Response (CMDR), which has been ready for some time but is still due to open in Sofia, is not likely to start work as the alliance would not recognize it as "independent".

NATO is concerned with the Ministry of Defense's move to integrate the center into the Rakovski Defense and Staff College.

Sega reports the issue is expected to be on the agenda of a meeting between Defense Minister Angel Naydenov and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Jean-Paul Palomeros, who arrived Tuesday in Bulgaria to take part in a NATO forum.

The Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is in charge of the CMDR Center in Bulgaria alongside other similar facilities across the alliance.

The CMDR Center, financed by Poland and Bulgaria, is envisaged to organize events with international participation and to handle preparation of multinational drills.

To receive a NATO accreditation it has to be a separate structure that is not subordinated to another Bulgarian institution.

Alliance were quoted as saying that Bulgaria violates the memorandum setting up the facility signed by Sofia, Athens and Warsaw.

The Defense Ministry maintains the CMDR Center is a temporarily established structure which is to oversee the creation of the NATO facility.

Despite those allegedly limited functions, however, the institution has already been charged of organizing international conferences.

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