Bulgaria joins condemnation of terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo
Bulgaria’s President, Prime Minister and Foreign Ministry have added their voices to condemnation of the terrorist attack on January 7 on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, in which 12 people were reported to have died while several more were injured.
“Bulgaria strongly condemns the attack on the Charlie Hebdo office and the killings in Paris,” Prime Minister Boiko Borissov said.
“This terrorist act stirs anger in us towards violent killings and the attack on the freedom of speech. We express our solidarity with the French people at this time that is difficult for all of us and for Europe, and our sympathy to the grief-striken families and relatives of the victims.
“No cause justifies terror.
“As allies in NATO and the EU, Bulgaria and France work together to thwart new threats to security and peace. Together with our partners, we are confident that terrorism will be defeated, no matter what effort this fight might require,” Borissov said.
French police said that at least 12 people were dead after the shooting at the Paris headquarters of the satirical weekly paper Charlie Hebdo, the Voice of America reported.
Media reports say at least two gunmen opened fire with Kalashnikov rifles and a rocket launcher inside the building housing the newspaper’s offices. After the shooting, the gunmen are believed to have fled in two different vehicles.
The satirical publication regularly satirised religious groups. France 24 television news reported on January 7 that after the terrorist attack, the perpetrators were heard shouting, “we have avenged the Prophet”.
Bulgaria’s European Commissioner, Kristalina Georgieva – vice-president of the EC – said that she was “profoundly shocked” by the attack on Charlie Hebdo and expressed her solidarity and condolences to the victims and their families and to the French people.
