The third meeting of Public Information Forum took place in the Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”on 14 May 2008. The event was attended by (more than 150 people) students, university lecturers, representatives of the local authorities, navy officers, NGO and media representatives. The meeting could be considered very successful having in mind the big interest of the participants, broad media coverage and evaluation given by the participants.
The Deputy Head of Mission participation provoked high public interest. The Ministry of Defence and the General Staff commitment, as well as a US mission representative is essential for the public to obtain competent and professional explanations and comprehensive replies to all questions.
Reports about the Public Information Forum in Varna have been published in newspapers Chernomorie, Narodno delo, Pozvanete and 24 hours – Varna, www.mediapool.bg and www.focus-news.net . The event was broadly announced and released by all regional radio stations. Also regional TV channels covered the meeting and made several reports for the main regional news programs. An interview with Deputy Head of Mission Alexander Karagiannis was broadcasted by the Bulgarian National Radio, “Horizont” Program. He was quoted in several web sites.
Mr. Kargiannis informed that this summer about 900 Americans and 100 Bulgarians will participate in joint exercises and all the details have been worked out in close consultation with Bulgarian authorities. He underlined that in short, the joint training facilities will certainly help build capabilities in Bulgarian and US militaries and they will inject some economic dynamism into the region.
The second meeting of the Public Information Forum organised by the Euro-Atlantic Education Initiative took place in the Plovdiv University “Paisiy Hilendarski” on 19 March 2008.The event was attended by students, university lecturers, representatives of the local authorities –the Chair of the Council of Plovdiv Municipality, the Deputy Mayor of Plovdiv, Municipality Councillors, the Mayor of Graf Ignatievo, NGO and media representatives. The key note speaker was the US Ambassador H.E. John Beyrle. Ambassador Beyrle spoke about US- Bulgarian relations and made some remarks on joint military facilities.
He said: “This partnership is good for the United States and it is good for Bulgaria. With this partnership Bulgaria improves its standing within NATO and its overall security. This partnership allows infrastructure improvements to the military facilities and gives Bulgarian firms the opportunity to realize economic benefits. It makes Bulgaria a stronger partner and ally for the United States – and as we look at the problems and challenges we will face in the 21st century, it is clear that we need strong, capable allies. And this partnership makes us better friends, whenever we get the opportunity to meet with members of local communities and do our part to give back where we can.”
The Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army Lieut. Gen. Galimir Pehlivanov attended the meeting and shared his views about the eleven Implementing Arrangements signed between the United States and Bulgaria in February 2008. He emphasized that the Implementing Arrangements will speed up the processes and procedures necessary to put the Defense Cooperation Agreement fully into practice.
Remarks Ambassador Beyrle - US (MS Word Document)
Remarks Ambassador Beyrle - BG (MS Word Document)
EAEI along with NATO Information Centre in Sofia combining efforts and resources with the Atlantic Treaty Association, in cooperation with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway initiated the Central and South Eastern Europe Security Forum (CSEESF) named BALKAN MOSAIC. The project is linking Bulgaria and Romania as NATO and EU members, the MAP countries – Albania, Croatia and Macedonia; Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia as members of PfP, and Kosovo thus establishing regional network for debate and partnership, addressing the specific areas of concern on the Balkans. Researches Forum took place in Bucharest in 2006. Threen Young Leaders Meetings were organised by Euro-Atlantic Council of Macedonia.
Four Sofia Meetings were organised by EAEI from February 2005 to November 2006.
BALKAN MOSAIC Fifth Sofia Meeting took place in Sofia on 11-13 February 2008. The overall topic of the meeting was devoted to Euro-Atlantic Integration: Long-Term Stability in the Western Balkans. The objective of the Balkan Mosaic Fifth Sofia Meeting was to discuss the Opportunities to the Western Balkans Development: NATO Enlargement and Readiness of MAP countries on the brink of NATO Summit in Bucharest and only five days before the proclamation of Kosovo independence addressing key security issues in the Balkans.The aim of the meeting was to gather together young parliamentarians from across the region, representing different political parties and representatives from NGO in order to further strengthen their efforts on networking from within the region.
The Fifth Sofia Meeting was organised in a crucial moment for the Western Balkans – only a week after the Presidential elections in Serbia, five days before the Independence of Kosovo to be proclaimed and two months before the Bucharest Summit of NATO. The participants had the opportunity to streamline their joint endeavours in setting new public agenda in the region. Through the means of public debate and dialogue, the Balkan Mosaic Network members in pursuit of common values and interests examined the various aspects of regional cooperation as well as the challenges and opportunities to the Western Balkans key security issues – Kosovo Independence, progress and readiness of the Adriatic Charter countries to joint NATO.
Representatives from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Kosovo, representative of South Caucasus Mosaic and local members of Bulgarian Parliament, NGOs and think-tanks, and state officials participated in the event. (Program, List of Participants and speeches of some of the participants see on www.balkanmosaic.net)
Dates: December 2004 to present
Project donor: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of NorwayMore information: www.balkanmosaic.net
The activities of Public Information Forum would generate spill over effect throughout the country and would contribute to elaboration of effective approach to communication and understanding of the joint exploitation of the military facilities located on Bulgaria. Under the considerably changed circumstances the Bulgarian military tasks and priorities to accommodate cooperation, interoperability and expeditionary forces, the issue to enhance communication and provide sustainable civil-military relations is of high importance. The moment is highly relevant to discuss and articulate these issues when pending the first rotation of US officers in the country. First meeting of the follow-up project of Euro-Atlantic Education Initiative: Public Information Forum: Promoting national support and understanding of the tasks and missions of the Bulgarian-US joint bases took place in the Bourgas Free University on 16 November 2007. The key note speakers were US Ambassador H.E. John Beyrle and Deputy Minister of Defence Mrs. Sonya Yankulova. Ambassador Beyrle made a brief overview of US Bulgaria relations and underlined that the joint military facilities are and will remain Bulgarian bases, with Bulgarian commanders, under a Bulgarian flag. The final Implementing Arrangements will be completed by early 2008, after which U.S. Army Europe will begin the process of issuing a tender to construct a base camp to support U.S. soldiers training at Polygon Novo Selo. Mrs. Yankulova added that more Bulgarian-American military training events are expected to take place at the shared facilities in 2008, but the precise schedule remains to be finalized. The Deputy Chief of General Staff of Bulgarian Army Lieut. Gen. Galimir Pehlivanov and Members of Parliament from different political parties attended the Meeting. The event was broadly announced and released by all regional radio stations and regional TV channels covered the meeting and made several interviews and reports for the main regional news programs. The visit of US Ambassador in Bourgas and the Public Information Forum meeting were also reported in the Bourgas newspapers as well.
Dates: September 2007 - August 2008
Location: Bourgas, Plovdiv, Russe, Veliko Tarnovo, Varna
Project donor: US Embassy Democracy Small Grants Program
When first pondering the idea of NATO in Brief guide, no one of the editors expected the moment for such an edition to be so well timed. NATO is a new reality for Bulgaria, as for all countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The efforts to promote the Alliance as the most promising tool to guarantee security is by no means an easy task, though contributing to the image of NATO as the relevant device for dialogue, cooperation, democracy, strengthening the rule of law, enhancing stability and respecting individual rights and liberties proved to be one of the most challenging accomplishmets.
Download NATO in Brief Text English (PDF File- 370KB)
Strengthening Black Sea Maritime Security Bilingual booklet in English and in Bulgarian with all the presentations, discussions and conclusions of the conference.
Dates: January 2006 Project donor: UK Ministry of Defence
NATO …in Brief Bilingual guide in Bulgarian and English, demonstrating the Alliance in understandable and objective way to facilitate High School education, co-financed by NATO Public Diplomacy Division, GloBul Bulgaria and Hanns Seidel Stiftung.
Dates: January – March 2006
Project donor: NATO Public Diplomacy Division
NATO …in Brief Publication of follow-up bilingual editions in Albanian-English, Russian-English, Serbian-English and Ukrainian-English
Dates: September – December 2006
Project donor: NATO Public Diplomacy Division
NATO …in Brief Publication of follow-up bilingual editions in Croatian-English, Macedonian-English.
Dates: March - September 2007
Project donor: NATO Public Diplomacy Division
The project aimed at the university students as one of the most promising societal groups. The series of round tables were held at New Bulgaria University in Sofia, the South-West University Neofit Rilski in Blagoevgrad and in the University of Veliko Tarnovo, where together with students studying Political sciences, International Relations, Economics and Philology, the expert lecturers discussed the EU integration through the perspective of the university education and young people future career building within the EU.
Round Table, New Bulgarian University - Sofia (MS Word Document)
Round Table, Neofit Rilski University, Blagoevgrad (MS Word Document)
Round Table, Sv. sv. Cyril and Methodius University, Veliko Tarnovo (MS Word Document)
