Through the attack in Bourgas, terrorism showed Bulgaria its brutal human nature, and this in turn proves how correct the decision was for Bulgaria to participate in the ISAF international forces mission in Afghanistan, President Rosen Plevneliev said in Plovdiv at a ceremony to welcome the return of the 22nd contingent of the Bulgarian Armed Forces from a mission in the Asian country. The President reiterated firmly that Bulgaria would not forget the Bourgas terrorist attack and would find and punish those responsible.

Bulgaria is even more convinced that the fight against terrorism must be conducted wherever in the world terrorism has bases and shelters, and the country is determined to remain in the future part of the free world’s international response to “this inhumane ideology and practice,” President Plevneliev said. “You were in Afghanistan and every day risked your lives for this response, participating honorably in the democratic world’s war on terrorism,” the Commander-in-Chief said.

The President recalled that during his visit to Afghanistan, he was persuaded of the professionalism, discipline and sense of responsibility of the Bulgarian military. Bulgaria will reduce gradually, and in consultation with partners, the staff and numbers of its troops in Afghanistan, as declared at NATO summit in Chicago in May. This transformation, however, does not mean that Bulgaria will terminate its participation in international efforts to support Afghanistan after 2014. The Afghan people have not been, and will not be, alone over the next decade, while building their capabilities to protect themselves, President Plevneliev said in his address.

On August 4, Bulgarian military commander Colonel Kiril Georgiev and 232 military personnel returned from a mission in Afghanistan as part of NATO’s ISAF. The 22nd contingent included 162 members of the Sixth Company charged with the security of Kabul Airport, military police, staff officers and medical teams. During their mission, the military contingent performed their tasks with professionalism. Bulgarian soldiers have conducted 1254 day and night mechanized and foot patrols, seven joint patrols with Belgian units, 55 escort duties, and day and night shifts at different bases and NATO sites in the area of responsibility of the Bulgarian contingent.