Bulgaria Heightens Security Measures After Paris Attacks

Bulgaria will heighten its security measures after the series of attacks in Paris on Friday night, which claimed the lives of at least 127 people and left at least 180 others injured.

This became clear after an extraordinary high-level meeting on security and migration at the interior ministry, which had been summoned by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov on Saturday.

The meeting was attended by Borisov, Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova, Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev, Health Minister Petar Moskov and Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski.

The chairpersons of the State Agency for National Security (DANS) and the National Intelligence Service (NRS) were also invited to the meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, Interior Minister Bachvarova said that there was no information on any immediate terrorist threats to the country.

However she pointed that terrorism continues to pose one of the greatest risks to the country's security.

She outlined some of the specific measures planned at raising the level of security, namely heightening police presence across the country, enhancing control on the EU's external borders and transit traffic passing through the country, ensuring the safety of people at mass events.

Bachvarova advised Bulgarian citizens intending to travel to France to rethink the necessity of their trip and if possible to refrain from it.

Prime Minister Borisov expressed once again his condolences to French President Francois Hollande, Prime Minister Manuel Valls and to the families of the victims.

He identified the attacks as constituting the “new September 11 for Europe” and expressed hope that Europe will rethink its policies and interaction between its security services, above all the policies on integration.

Borisov noted the different nature of the latest attacks, which targeted a concert hall, a stadium, pubs and restaurants.

According to him, in this way the perpetrators wanted to show that the people are vulnerable everywhere.

Borisov also advised Bulgarians planning to travel to France to reconsider their intentions and if possible to postpone their trip.

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