Bulgaria Heightens Security at Transport Hubs Despite Lack of Direct Terrorist Threat

Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova said on Thursday that security measures at airports and transport hubs in Bulgaria have been heightened as these places pose the main risk of becoming the target of terrorist attacks.

Bachvarova stated this after a joint meeting of the parliamentary Internal Security and Public Order Committee and the committee responsible for control of the security services

Representatives of the security agencies were subject to extraordinary hearing in the aftermath of Tuesday's terrorist attack at Istanbul Ataturk airport which claimed the lives of 44 people and left hundreds other injured.

They reported on the measures taken in implementation of the action plan for countering terrorism.

The plan was developed at the end of 2015 and the beginning of this year and was adopted with a decision of the government.

The interior minister assured that all actions taken at present are in accordance with the plan.

According to her, the plan is an achievement as it is aimed at creating a system in which all institutions know their tasks and responsibilities.

Bachvarova highlighted that no concrete measures have been discussed at the meeting.

She assured that there is neither immediate threat for Bulgaria nor any concrete signals.

Some of the measures have been activated due to the high level of terrorist threat in neighbouring Turkey.

The chairperson of the State Agency for National Security (DANS) Dimitar Georgiev also said that there is high risk, but no concrete threat for Bulgaria.

According to him, there is no data to confirm the presence of sleeper cells of Islamic State (IS) in Bulgaria.

Georgiev added that measures have been taken in accordance with the plan for countering terrorism.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!