The Republic of Bulgaria

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Participation of the Republic of Bulgaria in NATO

• Positions on some major issues on the NATO agenda
• Bulgaria’s participation in NATO operations and missions


Since its accession to the Alliance on 29 March 2004 Bulgaria has proved its full capability to fulfill the duties and obligations of a NATO Member.

Bulgaria’s contribution to NATO’s activities is multi-faceted. Bulgaria works actively for strengthening the political dialogue, the consultations and the coordination in NATO. The country contributes to NATO crisis-management operations and missions, as well as to the political and defence transformation of the Alliance. In April 2006 Sofia hosted a high-level NATO forum - the meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Member States, which was an important step in the preparations for the Riga Summit in November 2006. The Riga Summit, as well as the follow-up ministerial meetings, fostered the political transformation of NATO (promoting the partnership formats of the Alliance, the enlargement process, strengthening the cooperation with other international organizations, especially the strategic partnership with the European Union) and the continued transformation of the defence capabilities.


Positions on some major items on NATO agenda

NATO enlargement is an essential component of the Alliance’s political transformation. At the Riga Summit the Allies sent a message of encouragement to the current three candidate countries (Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Croatia). The Allies recognised the progress made by the three MAP countries and expressed their willingness and ambition to invite in 2008 those countries which meet the relevant membership criteria.

Bulgaria consistently supports NATO open doors policy, sharing the view that the European and the Euro-Atlantic perspectives provide the most stable guarantees for achieving lasting security and prosperity. We hope that, in 2008, the Alliance will be in a position to extend invitations for accession to one or more candidate countries based on the individual progress ahieved by each of them.

In our view, NATO’s partnerships should be built upon the following principles: balanced approach, pragmatism, flexibility, and combination of geographical and functional approaches. The Alliance has adopted a strategy of opening the PfP toolbox to all existing partnerships and selected contact countries. NATO also created configurations of variable geometry on the basis of the troop contributing nations format.

Bulgaria supports the development of the cooperation between NATO and Russia as an essential element of the Euro-Atlantic security in its two interrelated aspects: political dialogue and practical cooperation. The cooperation between NATO and Russia in spheres related to the fight against terrorism, military cooperation and defence reforms should be developed on the basis of mutual understanding.

Bulgaria is willing to further develop the NATO-Ukraine relations. Bulgaria supports the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Ukraine and provides assistance in the defence reform, public diplomacy, etc.

A new phase in the relations between NATO and Georgia started in September 2006 (the launch of the Intensified Dialogue). This Dialogue implies greater responsibilities for Georgia in terms of domestic and foreign policy, peaceful settlement of the frozen conflicts in South Ossetia and Abkhasia, constructive neighbourhood policy. Bulgaria actively supports Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration. Our Embassy to Tbilisi has been a NATO Contact Point Embassy for several years. We also participate in the New Group of Friends of Georgia. We have launched a number of bilateral initiatives for assistance. Bulgaria, together with other NATO Allies, is an active participant in the South Caucasus Clearing House mechanism providing expert and technical assistance for defence reform in the countries of the South Caucus.

Against the backdrop of its support for the Euro-Atlantic prospect of the countries in the Western Balkans, Bulgaria has played an active role in reaching the decision taken in Riga to extend invitations to Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro to join the Partnership for Peace (PfP). Our country assists the new partners in getting full use of the existing partnership instruments in the area of the defence and security sector reform with a view to achieving greater stability and security in the long-term.

In the course of the implementation of the decisions taken at the 2004 Istanbul Summit, NATO has reinforced the two dimensions of the Mediterranean Dialogue (MD) – the political consultations and the practical cooperation. The 26+7 format of the Mediterranean Dialogue is one of the parameters of Alliance’s possible role in the region.

The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative launched in June 2004 with the objective to strengthen the stability and security in the region of the wider Middle East through the establishment of mutually beneficial bilateral partnerships between NATO and individual countries in the region is a proof of NATO’s determination to successfully transform and adapt itself to the new challenges to the regional and global security.

In the context of its NATO and EU membership, Bulgaria tries to contribute, according to its capabilities, to the strengthening and deepening of the strategic cooperation between these two organizations, as well as to the expansion of the Transatlantic dialogue. A common Transatlantic response to the common security challenges is the most efficient one. Speaking in a single voice on both sides of the Atlantic multiplies the effect of the allied efforts. The capabilities of NATO and the EU are largely complementary, whereas the tools at their disposal cover a wide range of military capabilities and capabilities in the field of stabilization and reconstruction. This toolbox is necessary for resolving conflicts and crises in various “hotbeds” around the world. The future commitments of NATO and the EU with regard to Kosovo and Afghanistan request further development of the existing cooperation framework.


Bulgaria’s Participation in NATO Operations and Missions

Bulgarian armed forces substantially contribute to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF). We maintain our firm commitment to the security of Kosovo through our participation in KFOR. Furthermore, Bulgaria contributes to the NATO collective effort to train the Iraqi security forces. We take also part in the maritime operation of the Alliance in the Mediterranean (Active Endeavour).

The success of the ISAF operation is crucial for the security and reconstruction of Afghanistan and for the preservation of the political trust in NATO’s capabilities for dealing with the new security challenges. The commitment of the Alliance in Afghanistan features high among the priorities of the Bulgarian foreign and defence policy.

The successful resolution of the complex problems in Afghanistan requires a comprehensive approach, improved coordination and joined efforts of NATO and other major international players like the United Nations and the EU. The Afghan Government should be stronger involved in the process of reconstruction and should gradually take over the responsibility for the security and development of the country. In this context, great importance is attached to the assistance provided by NATO and the Member States for training and equipping the Afghan national armed forces.

Bulgaria has increased its participation in ISAF several-fold. Since July 2007 it has reached over 400 military personnel. In response to the NATO initiative for delivering equipment to the Afghan National Army Bulgaria has made a decision to donate 500 t of weapons and ammunition at a total value of EUR 6 million. The country has also donated EUR 70 000 to the ISAF fund for humanitarian aid in the post-operation period.

The Alliance will remain a guarantor of peace and security in Kosovo even after an agreement on the final status has been reached. The future commitments of NATO and the EU in Kosovo with regard to the security sector should be agreed in detail The synergy of efforts is indispensable to the success of the future tasks. Bulgaria takes part in KFOR operation with 39 military personnel.

Further to our contribution to the Multinational Coalition in Iraq, Bulgaria participates in the NATO Training Mission in Iraq (NTM-I). The contribution in this respect includes the following: participation with military personnel in the NATO Training Mission in Iraq – NTM-I); financial contribution to the Trust Fund for training of Iraqi troops outside the territory of Iraq; training of Iraqi security forces at Bulgarian military schools.

Operation Active Endeavour (OAE) which was launched as an anti-terrorist measure undertaken by NATO in September 2001 is the first NATO operation under Article 5 of the Washington Treaty. In 2006, Bulgaria took part in the operation with Druzky frigate. Further participation is planned.