There are various risks and threats to Black Sea security, but we cannot speak of a threat to national security, President Iliana Iotova told Nova TV.
“Bulgaria and Romania have achieved a significant breakthrough, as European Council texts for the first time directly addressed Black Sea security and highlighted the region’s strategic importance for the security of Europe and the world”, Iliana Iotova said. She added that, thanks to intensified diplomatic efforts, Bulgaria and Romania had prompted a separate discussion on the Black Sea.
Commenting on the European Council’s conclusion that Russia was behind the attacks on four vessels in the Black Sea, Iliana Iotova added that Bulgaria would not hesitate to take appropriate diplomatic measures if evidence confirmed this, including issuing a diplomatic note or recalling its ambassador for consultations.
“My greatest concern is that intensified consultations take place at all levels so that we can achieve a moratorium on hostilities in the Black Sea”, President Iotova said. She stressed that as long as hostilities continued, the challenges would not cease bit would only increase.
Edited by Diana Tsankova
Translated by Kostadin Atanasov