THE CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND POLICIES IS A GOOD PLATFORM FOR DEFENCE DISCUSSIONS

Prime Minister Denkov: I think this conference is extremely important in order to give answers to the questions: which are the technologies that we need to develop and what needs to be done.

„The Center for Development and Policies is a good platform to discuss defence and security, not only within today’s conference, but every day.“ With these words, Gen. Konstantin Popov, Chairman of the Management Board of the Center for Development and Policies, opened the international conference on „Defence Modernization“ organized by the Center on November 14, 2023.

„With the organization of today’s international conference on the topic of „Defence Modernization“, we set ourselves the goal of making analyses and conclusions about what kind of world we live in and where we are going. A world where the security system is being put to the test by the horrific wars in Ukraine and the Middle East where the terrorist organization of Hamas is attacking the state of Israel. We have conflicts in the Caucasus, we have unceasing and pulsating insecurity in the Western Balkans, and all this should lead us to act effectively and decisively to build our defence capabilities, Gen. Popov said further. Then, he gave the floor to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria for a welcome speech to the participants.

“ I think this conference is extremely important in order to give answers to the questions: which are the technologies that we need to develop and what needs to be done. In addition to investments in technology, investments in people who will work with it and „bring it to life“ must continue, Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov said at the opening of the international conference.

The forum brought together politicians, ambassadors, representatives of the defence sector, the defence industry, experts in the field of defence and security, and representatives of the scientific community who discussed the possibilities for the development of science, industry and investments to modernize the defence of Bulgaria, as well as the possibilities to address the challenges of the rapidly changing security environment.

Some of the guests of the conference were: Academician Nikolay Denkov – Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, Hristo Gadjev – Chairman of the Defence Committee in the Parliament, Atanas Zapryanov and Stanimir Georgiev – Deputy Ministers of Defence, Mrs. Irina Shtonova – Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry, Prof. Georgi Angelov – Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth, the ambassadors: of the USA – H.E. Kenneth Marten, of Ukraine – H.E. Olesya Ilashchuk, of Israel – H.E. Yosi Levi Sfari, of South Korea – H.E. Lee Ho-shik, of Finland – H.E. Christina Kouvaya-Xanthopoulos, representatives of 15 diplomatic missions in Bulgaria, Admiral Emil Eftimov – Chief of Defence, former ministers of defence and foreign affairs, politicians, military experts and representatives of the defence industry. Among the guest speakers were the members of the European Parliament Petar Vitanov, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, and Eva Maydell, Mr. Holger Ziegler – Head of the Capability Delivery Section (CDS), Strategy Directorate, Defence Investment Division (DI/STR) of NATO, Major General (ret.) Assoc. Professor Eng. Grudi Angelov, PhD – former Commandant of the National Defence College, Col. Assoc. Professor Borislav Genov, PhD – Director of the Defence Institute, and Martin Danovski. Mrs. Wendy Gilmour, Assistant Secretary General of NATO, gave a video greeting to all participants.

In his welcome speech to the participants of the conference, Prime Minister Academician Nikolay Denkov also stated that: „If there is no stable state and national security, nothing else matters.“ In addition, he pointed out that our country has delayed a number of projects for the modernization of the army, but must work for their successful completion in order to fully integrate into the NATO armed forces. We all realize the importance of what has been happening in the recent months, the Prime Minister pointed out. He also stated that the countries of Europe have lived for a long time with the thought that economic development would preserve peace, but now this illusion has been destroyed. Force can only be answered with force. That is why we are here to see what that force can be, to make sure that no one crosses the borders of the European Union and NATO. „The question is what to do? As Prime Minister, I listen very carefully to all points of view. We meet with the generals regularly. We are also holding meetings with the president on this topic. The answer is still not obvious to me. That’s why I think this conference is extremely important,“ the Prime Minister emphasized. He gave an example from the story related to the famous Renaissance artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, whose biography includes a number of inventions of military equipment designed for the defence of the Italian city-states. „The question of which technologies we should develop has no obvious answer. It is clear that we must continue with the programmes that are structure-determining. The fact that we delayed the planes, we delayed the patrol boats, the infantry fighting vehicles, the coast guard, that’s all clear. We have to do them, without them there is no army,“ commented the Prime Minister.

„At the same time, there is the question of what else we need. We have seen that drones, underwater drones, hybrid attacks and cyber-attacks can be no less powerful to give an advantage when it comes to the dangers that await us. When we get into this part of the conversation, it turns out that there are a variety of opinions and the answer is not obvious, at least, not for me. That’s why conferences like this one are looking for an answer to these questions,“ Nikolay Denkov added. Considering the questions about technological development, he included also the artificial intelligence, which continues to develop. „Whoever finds the right answer will have the advantage in the coming years of feeling secure in the environment we live in today,“ the prime minister believes. Denkov emphasized that, in addition to investments in technology, investments in people who will work with it and „bring it to life“ should also continue. Prime Minister Academician Nikolay Denkov assured that the government will continue to make efforts in this direction.

„The modernization of defence capabilities is not just a desire, an inspiration, an option, but an urgent need to ensure a secure world.“ This was said by Olesya Ilashchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine to Bulgaria, who also welcomed the participants in the conference. The diplomat pointed out that the concept of modernization in today’s realities should go beyond the national vision. It should be based on comprehensive transformation, technological development and strengthening the international cooperation, Ambassador Ilashchuk also stated. Our path, the struggle of Ukrainians for our state and independence, is an example and demand for the fundamental renewal of military capabilities. NATO’s role in this process of strengthening the Euro-Atlantic security architecture is decisive and there is no other alternative, commented the ambassador of Ukraine. She specified that Ukraine is infinitely grateful to Bulgaria for its constant support, including support about the country’s full membership in NATO. Ukraine and Bulgaria have significant opportunities for cooperation in the modernization of a solid amount of military equipment and weapons, in the exchange of practical experience in the application of new technologies, Ambassador Ilashchuk also said.

„We are democratic countries, we have democratic values and we want to preserve them, and to protect human rights. This is what H.E. Yosi Levi Sfari, Ambassador of Israel to Bulgaria, said in his greeting. „We are facing enemies who do not obey international law and do not care about these values. How to protect our moral values and fight against non-state actors supported by states, commented Ambassador Levi. The Western world has begun to understand that the threat of October 7 is not only against Israel, but against the West, he added. Israel’s ambassador pointed out that for years the world has been driven by the understanding that everything is economics. The seventh of October became a turning point in many aspects of the way of thinking. In the end, the question is not whether there is money. The leaders of terrorist organizations are extremely rich. It’s not a question of economics, it’s a question of ideology. On top of this base of radical hate ideology, we add capabilities. And this is the great threat we face, he commented.

The Deputy Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov also welcomed the participants in the conference, and stated that the defence investment program is very ambitious and will involve serious financial resources. Today’s conference is being held just in time because the government, following its priorities, has already taken some steps in the field of defence. To be prepared, we must have the capabilities and take care of our defence. This is one of the government’s priorities. Following this priority, this week the Ministry of Defence will complete the discussions in the Defence Council of the program for investment costs, which will be presented for approval by the Bulgarian government and will be proposed to the Bulgarian Parliament for approval,“ Deputy Minister Zapryanov emphasized.

The Chairman of the Defence Committee in the 49th National Assembly, Hristo Gadjev, the representatives of the European Parliament Peter Vitanov, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Eva Maydell and Mr. Holger Ziegler, Head of the Capability Delivery Section (CDS), Strategy Directorate, NATO’s Defence Investment Division (DI/STR) expressed and discussed their views with the forum participants on the challenges facing the modernization of defence, the global political challenges in the security environment, and the rapidly changing security environment.

According to Hristo Gadjev, Chairman of the Parliamentary Defence Committee, the war in Ukraine has acted as a wake-up call for Europe. The main emphasis should be placed on technology, as well as on the relationship between science, defence and business, Gadjev believes. War is a catalyst for innovation, he noted. Gadjev gave an example with the projects for the army modernization which also provide for industrial cooperation, which will benefit our country.

„War has entered our everyday life, as if peace is disappearing as a basic value,“ Petar Vitanov, head of the Delegation of Bulgarian Socialists in the European Parliament, noted to the participants. According to him, a defence review is currently underway in European countries, since the dynamically changing balances and new geopolitical realities require it. We have a growing need for cyber security, he stressed, highlighting the development of artificial intelligence worldwide. The introduction of artificial intelligence requires its regulation as well, because in addition to the benefits AI brings, it is also associated with a number of challenges, Vitanov pointed out.

The topic of artificial intelligence was further discussed by Eva Maydell from GERB/EPP. We should have no illusions that artificial intelligence will not be used by some of the ill-wishers, she warned. According to her, the upcoming new calendar year will be key for democracy and for the way in which new technologies will be used. A new front of opposition is emerging in global politics and it is related to who will set the rules for the use of artificial intelligence, the MEP believes.

Ilhan Kyuchyuk, leader of ALDE, focused on the changed geopolitical situation. After what happened in Ukraine, apart from having a changed political environment, all political powers put security as their priority, he pointed out. The MEP specified that there are points of contact between security and migration policies that should also be taken into account. According to Kyuchyuk, the European Union should implement common policies in these areas, but this is difficult, as the question of who represents the union must first be resolved.

The conference participants also discussed the global financial and economic challenges. Ongoing geopolitical conflicts, trade wars and regional disputes affect economic stability and contribute to uncertainty in the global landscape. Climate change and environmental challenges: the escalating impacts of climate change pose risks to economies and financial systems worldwide. Increasing extreme weather events, regulatory changes and transition risks are impacting business operations and investment decisions. Global economic growth and slow recovery: many economies are experiencing slow growth or even recessions due to various factors such as geopolitical tensions, trade wars, and the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic; energy sustainability.

The forum also focused on defence modernization and future directions, new vision and capability development, capability modernization and replacement of obsolete military hardware with state-of-the-art equipment, including next-generation aircraft, ships, armoured vehicles and advanced weapons, and disposal of older remnant equipment. The need for maximizing investment in new equipment that can meet the threat in a competitive age, technology integration and the inclusion of advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, cyber warfare capabilities, autonomous systems and advanced sensors, in military operations to improve of situational awareness, decision making and overall effectiveness. Emphasis was also placed on investments in research and development.

The former Commandant of the National Defence College Major General (ret.) Assoc. Prof. Eng. Grudi Angelov moderated the second panel of the conference: State commitment to defence modernization in the context of the dynamically changing security environment. The panellists were the Deputy Minister of Defence Atanas Zapryanov, and the Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Prof. Georgi Angelov, as well as the Director of the Defence Institute Col. Assoc. Prof. Borislav Genov. In this panel, attention was paid to NATO defence events and the Bulgarian participation, the need to accelerate NATO Defence Innovation (DIANA), the work of the NATO Innovation Foundation (NIF), the Bulgarian participation in DIANA and NIF. Modernization of the Bulgarian defence – vision and exchange of innovative ideas in the field of military technologies, the sequence of the development of the defence capabilities of the Bulgarian Army, the investment program of the Ministry of Defence (Modernization Projects), weapon systems, combat vehicles, radar systems and air defence, as well as the Bulgarian research and technological capabilities in modernization were the main focus of the panel. Within the panel, from the speech of the Deputy Minister of Innovation and Growth Prof. Georgi Angelov, it became clear that 23 Bulgarian companies have submitted project proposals for funding for defence innovations under the DIANA programme (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic). The documents have been reviewed and evaluated, and the results are expected to be announced soon, he added.

In the last conference panel, Martin Danovski presented the possibilities of industry and investments for defence modernization. Defence Industry Cooperation: Cooperation with local defence industries and international partners to leverage expertise and resources in the development, production and/or maintenance of advanced defence systems. The role of investment companies in the modernization of the Bulgarian defence. Representation and opportunities of investment companies for the modernization of the Bulgarian defence. Opportunities for the industry to participate in a project to increase the capabilities of NATO, the EU and Bulgaria, were the main topics that were presented and discussed.

The Defence Modernization Conference was organized by the Center for Development and Policies with the support of the Ministry of Defence and LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION.