NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen praised Bulgaria’s contributions to the Alliance and its commitment to transatlantic security.

Rasmussen held talks on Thursday with Bulgarian Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski.
“NATO’s core task is security and Bulgaria has shown an impressive commitment to building security in Europe, and beyond,” the Secretary General said.

Bulgaria currently contributes troops to NATO missions in Afghanistan and in Kosovo. The Secretary General discussed the two missions as well as other issues currently on NATO’s security agenda in his bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Oresharski.

Rasmussen welcomed Bulgaria’s strong support to Smart Defence, in particular the Bulgarian government’s backing of the shared project to provide C-17 heavy transport aircraft, which is a vital lifeline to Allied troops on operations. Bulgaria also participates in a group of countries which will acquire five unarmed spotter drones “to allow NATO commanders to see over the horizon, in any weather, and at any time of day or night,” the Secretary General said.

Bulgaria is also a keen supporter of NATO’s Building Integrity initiative, which helps to reduce the risk of corruption in the defence and security sector.

“This is the sort of commitment we need. And we will continue to need it in the future, as we look to reverse the decline in defence spending, and move back towards healthy levels,” the Secretary General concluded in his remarks to the press.