Bulgaria is drafting legislative changes to make it a crime for holders of its passports to fight alongside Islamic State (IS) or other terrorist organisations, Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said on Thursday.

The changes are aimed at enabling Bulgarian authorites to detain Bulgarian passport holders suspected of fighting for Islamic State as part of Europe’s increased awareness of threats to its security posed by conflicts in the Arab world.  

Speaking to participants in an international security conference in Sofia Mitov said Bulgaria needs to develop key military capabilities in the Black Sea region and diversify energy supply sources to reduce its dependence on Russia.

According to Mitov, the crisis in Ukraine could lead to a new Cold War and trigger a change in Europe’s relationship with Russia that in turn would lead to fundamental changes in the structure of European security.

Europol chief Rob Wainwright said last week the organization had no information of Bulgarian citizens fighting for Islamic State.

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