Bulgaria’s Deputy Premier and Minister of Defense Krasimir Karakachanov voiced confidence that NATO and the EU will settle the disputes between Greece and Turkey. At the end of 2019, Radio Bulgaria’s Ivo Ivanov asked Minister Karakachanov whether this country would withstand migration pressure:

The Bulgaria-Turkey border is and will be under control, because along with the Border Police we are ready to deploy Bulgarian armed forces to protect this border. The will of the Bulgarian government is clear and categorical- it does not allow large groups of people to enter illegally Bulgarian territory. Greece is much more vulnerable to migration pressure, because this country has huge sea border and cannot take the measures we took at the Bulgaria-Turkey border. The situation in Bulgaria is slightly easier. Nevertheless, we took stringent measures. I am confident that we should not worry about the security of the Bulgarian borders unless someone makes a purposeful provocation and sends hundreds of thousands of migrants towards our border, but even then, I think we will be able to cope with the situation.

Will NATO’s mechanisms be able to control tension near Bulgaria between the NATO allies Greece and Turkey?

Yes, they will, because the tension between Turkey and Greece is based on economic interests. We are talking about the gas deposits around Cyprus, which gives many prospects for profits. The dispute between Turkey and Greece is which country will benefit in economic aspect. However, despite the tension, none of the two countries will dare resorting to military intervention. NATO and the EU have enough mechanisms to avoid this scenario. However, this does not detract from the fact that there is tension and uncertainty and that this process may escalate.

How do you assess Serbia’s rearmament?

I noticed several things. In the recent years, the Serbian politicians again started to look for the enemy around them. They started again to accuse some of their neighbors such as Bulgaria or Croatia of conspiracy, but there is no such thing. It is up to the Serbian people and politicians to choose whether to become NATO and EU members. However, the tactics they chose- to apply for EU membership, but not for NATO membership cannot materialize and perhaps they know it. However, this country has been actively rearming itself. We hear statements of Serbia’s Defense Minister that this country is striving for air superiority in the Balkans,which also gives food for thought. The talking about exchange of territories between Serbia and Kosovo and annexation of territories from Bosnia and Herzegovina should not be underestimated as well. I do not want to accuse anyone, but keeping in mind the things that happened in the Balkans in the past we are obliged to be cautious, follow the situation closely and analyze the developments.

Let us now take a look at the unsolved disputes with North Macedonia.

Difficult question. The solution should come from Skopje. The policy dating back to the Tito period to try to flirt with everyone in order to derive benefits for yourself will not work now. We recognized North Macedonia as sovereign country. No one can make us and want from us to recognize the language they call Macedonian as separate language. According to their constitution, they called it Macedonian language some 50 years ago, they can call it Esperanto if they like. It is entirely up to them. However, states are subject to recognition in international law. The country North Macedonia is subject to recognition in international law, not their ideas for separate language or Macedonian nation. Nations and languages are not recognized. We spoke earlier of the dispute between Turkey and Greece. Have you heard anyone in Greece or Cyprus entering in a dispute on whether Cypriots who speak Greek are a separate nation or not, or whether Cypriots speak Greek or Cypriot language. Is there a dispute between Germany and Austria on whether they speak German or Austrian, or a dispute between North and South Korea on what language they speak or whether there is North Korean nation? The schizophrenia created in Yugoslavia during the Tito period with the purpose to destroy the Bulgarian cause and consciousness in Macedonia, cannot be part of the European policy and no one in Bulgaria would accept and support it, Minister Karakachanov contends.You may view the first part of the interview with Minister Karakachanov  here.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov