Bulgarian PM Borissov: Paris terrorist attacks ‘new September 11 for Europe’
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov has described the November 13 terrorist attacks in French capital Paris as the “new September 11 for Europe” – a reference to the 9/11 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States – and has called on Bulgarian citizens not to travel to France, at least until it was clear that all terrorists linked to the Paris attacks had been killed or captured.
Borissov was speaking after a special meeting on November 14 that he convened of Bulgaria’s security and migration council, attended by cabinet ministers and heads of the country’s security and intelligence services.
He said that there was a need for a swift rethinkof policies and interaction not only between departments, but also policies on integration and dealing with risk groups.
“We have to rethink our polices. These ghettoes of ‘tolerance’, you will see what are the profiles of terrorists. These terrorist acts were a little different from others – a football match, a concert, a bar, a restaurant. Virtually every cinema and every little shop is directly vulnerable. I hope for a new policy in Europe,” Borissov told reporters.
He said that he hoped that in Parliament next week, a discussion on the issue of Bulgaria’s national security would be held.
“In these tens of thousands that cross our border, there are certaintly the embittered and angry and that’s a potential risk.”
He urged society to be vigilant. “We rely on people to report on anything that makes them suspicious about such people”.
The Interior Ministry was strengthening its presence in cities and towns and the level of security at strategic sites in the country was being stepped up. “We will try to saturate cities and villages with police and gendarmerie, but this cannot be infinite, because of limited resources,” Borissov said.
Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova, who also attended the special meeting of the security and migration council, said that the police presence at Bulgaria’s borders would be stepped up but closure of the borders was not envisaged.
