Bulgaria’s President Rosen Plevneliev has suggested that the only way to avoid a war in the existing situation is to step up integration.

Speaking Sunday at a meeting with Bulgarians living in New York City, he noted that the EU was expected to unite in order to cope with the refugee crisis, instead of each and every member of the EU family catering to their own interests.

Plevneliev, as cited by the press office of the Bulgarian President, expressed confidence in the successful solution of the problem, adding that Bulgaria would be part of it.

Bulgaria’s head of state, who arrived in the US on a working visit in connection with the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly, declared that the right to asylum was a basic human right and that the refugee waves required a unified response.
Plevneliev underscored that both the EU and Bulgaria were supposed to have programs in support of the integration of refugees.

“Bulgaria and the US are strategic partners,” he stated, adding that a decision had been adopted during the visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry to set up 5 working groups to develop strategic dialogue in defense, energy, rule of law, education, and people-to-people contacts.

Plevneliev made clear that the lifting of the visa requirements for Bulgarian nationals remained a priority issue in bilateral relations with the US.

He encouraged Bulgarians living overseas to participate in the national referendum on electronic voting scheduled to take place on October 25 alongside the local elections in the country.

Plevneliev argued that well-organized and well-regulated referendums, “the most powerful instrument of direct democracy,” could substantially enhance the stability and sustainability the political environment in Bulgaria.