Bulgaria’s Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov has said that neither is his country preparing to go to war with anyone, nor is Russia intending to go to war with Bulgaria.

In a bid to dispel fears Bulgaria might be dragged into a potential military conflict between NATO and Russia over Ukraine, Mitov said that plans by the Alliance do set up command and control centres in six countries along its eastern border including Bulgaria could have been explained better to the public.

The establishment of this coordination centre - comprising 40 staff of which 20 Bulgarian military officers- has long been made part of the Bulgaria in NATO and in European Defence 2020 programme, Mitov said in an interview with Darik Radio station on Saturday.

“There is nothing dangerous or unusual in this coordination centre. We are a NATO member state and such things happen just like military exercises are taking place all the time,” Mitov said.

“Besides Ukraine, there is another conflict close to us – the Islamic State. NATO must be ready to react”.

The government should have explained to the public much earlier what is being done to prevent the use of such a relatively minor element for raising hysteria, Mitov said.

Commenting on opposition Ataka party’s calls for Bulgaria to leave the Alliance, Mitov said that the party had its own position and was pursuing its own agenda.

“We have a very strong alliance standing behind us. NATO is the strongest military and political alliance in human history. Its 28 member states generate over half of the world’s Gross Domestic Product. This is a power that is cooperating with Bulgaria,” he added.

No one wants a war with Russia, Mitov said when asked whether the West should go to war over Ukraine.

All EU member states support Ukraine territorial integrity, he said.

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