/ world today news/ In the beautiful Burgas, the main port of Bulgaria, on the coast of the Black Sea, a scientific conference was held on December 2, namely the national round table “The sea – border or door” 2021. The national round table was divided into two sessions , “The Black Sea – a zone of peace. State, prospects, threats” and “Risks and/or opportunities of the Crimean platform for Bulgaria”. The conference was organized by the Black Sea Institute in Burgas and the Rostov State University of Economics, Rostov, Russia. During the National Round Table “The Sea – Border or door” 2021, traditionally organized by the Black Sea Institute, a civil initiative was presented: Platform “Future for the Black Sea”. Scientists, politicians, historians and experts from Bulgaria, Russia and North Macedonia took part in the conference.
The Black Sea Future Platform is a tool for cooperation, security and safety and blue growth. An initiative of the civil sector with a call to all institutions and organizations on the territory of Bulgaria with proven commitments to the problems of the country’s water wealth to get involved”, Prof. Marusia Lyubcheva presented the platform. The financing of the platform will be carried out with internal resources, as well as through a trust fund.
The Black Sea is a region that is an integral part of the Mediterranean civilization, starting with the ancient Greek civilization, continuing through the Roman and Byzantine civilizations, to the Ottoman and Slavic civilizations. A region with a rich history, where different cultures and religions, archaeology, natural beauty and resources collide, but today the Black Sea is a region that is gaining geostrategic importance and a region where, unfortunately, militarization is taking place due to the conflict of interests between Russia and the West . “The soul of the Black Sea region is the people. The Black Sea region today is not only an opportunity for development, but also a challenge to preserve peace and the Black Sea ecosystem.
Guests at the round table were Deputy Minister Georgi Sabev, from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, regional governor Prof. Maria Neykova, deputy the regional governor. Prof. Ivan Marazov, who is the godfather of the forum, and Associate Professor Olga Andreevna from the Rostov State University of Economics joined the participants with an online greeting.
After Marusya Lyubcheva, Georgi Shabev – Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Food and Forestry of Bulgaria made a speech, who said: “The Black Sea must become a region in which all countries entering the Black Sea cooperate, without exception, and have coordinated approaches where the interests of all players will be respected without exception. The contradictions existing today between the countries prevent the active economic development of the region. Together we must ensure peace and security in the Black Sea. The Black Sea region is not only an opportunity, but also a responsibility of all countries for its future. “
The territory of the Black Sea, as well as Bulgaria, should be used only for constructive, peacekeeping activities. The Black Sea and the Black Sea region should be seen as an important potential for economic growth, social prosperity, educational and cultural development of Bulgaria.
Ivan Marazov, BSP politician, professor of cultural studies, chief specialist in Thracian issues in Bulgaria, former minister of culture and former presidential candidate: “All I want is for the Black Sea to be quiet and calm. The Black Sea must be for all countries that enter it, including Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Turkey, so that the Black Sea does not become a military bridgehead. “The Black Sea is, of course, a gateway, not a border.
Denitsa Nikolova, the future People’s Representative from Burgas electoral district from GERB, participated in the forum online. She introduced the attendees to the Maritime Spatial Plan, which has a horizon of action until 2035 and covers all sectors.
Today, international relations are irreversibly transforming from a unipolar to a multipolar model. The gradual weakening of the unipolar model has been accompanied by enormous tension in relations between the West and the East; between a world that calls itself Euro-Atlantic and Russia and China on the other.
In her proclamation, Zhenya Ilieva, who has her own business in the tourism sector, pointed out: “Undoubtedly, serious tension is felt in the Black Sea region – 2 countries are members of the EU, one is a candidate member, the others are in certain partnership relations. Three of the countries are members of NATO – others are seeking to join. And the tension between countries of the Black Sea region – old conflicts and a new confrontation between Russia and Ukraine – creates problems for everyone. The Crimean platform, in which they are trying to focus the confrontation against Russia and the East, is a serious challenge for Bulgaria. Above all, both as a country and as citizens, we must stand up for our independence and make maximum efforts to lower tensions, instead of supporting their escalation.
Bulgaria must play that balancing role that will make possible a peaceful transition through this vaudeville in the Black Sea. Our interests suggest that the strengthening of the military presence, not to mention the ideas of deploying NATO military bases in our country, is counterintuitive to the development of our country and to overcoming the crises we are currently in.
“Our position on Crimea is clear. We support international law. But without threatening the territory of the Black Sea with military interventions. And shouldn’t Bulgaria put the interests of one or another country above its own national interests? Our NATO membership obliges us to be a loyal partner, but not to provide territories for military bases that could provoke actions against us. The “Crimean Platform” is a forum organized by Ukraine in an attempt to overcome its political weakness in solving its own internal political problems, turning them into a problem of the international community.
We have a good example in our national and European politics – the Republic of North Macedonia. We don’t want anyone telling us what to do. Why should we tell our maritime neighbors what to do? And even worse, there, in addition to neighboring countries, forces across the ocean intervene. Do they have interests in the Black Sea? ” – Zhenya Ilieva.
All countries in the region should pay attention to the political processes that are developing in the region. Of course, the region cannot be isolated from geostrategic flows, all countries must focus on protecting the region from any military tensions, deployment of military bases and military systems, patrolling of warships and aircraft in the Black Sea, unplanned NATO exercises and Russia, leading to rising tensions.
Today, 14 years after the Black Sea “became the European Sea”, we ask ourselves whose border is the Black Sea – the countries that are located on its coast, the European Union or NATO. We ask ourselves this question because in our region something very different from tolerance, from the democratic spirit of Europe is increasingly felt in the region. In recent years, ideas have appeared and actions have been implemented that portend a different future for the Black Sea and the Black Sea region. Romania’s proposal to organize a common NATO fleet in the Black Sea, which for a long time was deliberately transferred to the public space sometimes as truth, sometimes not, today is already becoming a new idea for positioning in the area of NATO bases. The interval between NATO military exercises in the region is getting smaller and smaller. The presence of American bombers in the Black Sea, even for the short periods permitted by international agreements, turns the region into a possible springboard for military action1.
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