site.btaPresident Iotova Urges Talks as Middle East Conflict Escalates

President Iliana Iotova said Monday that the conflict in the Middle East could not be resolved by military action and urged talks. She added there was no immediate threat to Bulgaria’s national security and that the priority was getting Bulgarian citizens out once affected countries reopen their airspace.

Iotova said talks between the President’s administration and all State bodies had not stopped, including over the weekend. “On Monday we summed things up. There is no danger to Bulgaria’s national security, we are watching the situation closely.”

The biggest challenge was bringing Bulgarian citizens back from the region, Iotova said. “This cannot happen before the airspace of the affected countries reopens. We very much hope normal flights will resume and then we will have a chance to evacuate people,” she added, praising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for working around the clock.

Iotova also commented on her meeting with the security services to assess risks to Bulgaria’s national security. “In such a delicate and worrying situation, the more institutions take part, the better. This has always been my policy, which is why the consultative meeting lasted quite a long time on Monday, but every piece of available information was discussed in detail,” she said.

There was no need at this stage to convene the Consultative Council on National Security, Iotova said, and added it would be activated when a political position was needed “in which a consensus is reached by all participants”.

She explained parliamentary committees could be given full information. “MPs who think it is necessary can initiate the convening of the National Assembly. They will have the opportunity to hear all participants in the security council, as well as the minister, in whatever format they decide.”

Iotova said Bulgaria’s institution had called for avoiding escalation from the first day. “The conflict is expanding, as we saw on Monday with the involvement of neighbouring countries in the region. But talks are needed urgently, there is no way such a conflict can be resolved by military action.”

Iotova said coordination between institutions would be stepped up and that work was under way to create an even better mechanism for exchanging information and making real-time decisions.