DEFENCE MINISTERS MEETING 11 March 2008, Sofia

(Friday, February 8 2008)

Within the framework of the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office of the Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) a meeting of the Ministers of Defense of the countries from the region will be held in Sofia on March 11th 2008. The forum’s topic is “Defence policy for security, cooperation and development of Southeastern Europe”.

SEECP is a forum for diplomatic and political dialogue, in which Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, Croatia and Montenegro, are participating.

The main priority of SEECP’s Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office is the consolidation of the stability in the region and strengthening the regional cooperation in a close interaction with the European Union.

This is happening in the context of the current transformation of the regional cooperation in SEE and implementing the “regional ownership” principle. Another important aspect of the events during the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office is the work on the transformation of the Stability Pact and inauguration of a new structure – the Regional Cooperation Council, as of March 1st 2008.

The upcoming meeting will be the first ever of that kind that will enable a review of the existing mechanisms of cooperation in  field of defense as well as outline the priorities in the work of the newly established Regional Cooperation Council in this area.

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The preparation stage of HELBROC BattleGroup (BG) is in its end

(Monday, May 5 2007)

On the 2nd and 3rd of May 2007, more than 70 participating augmentees of the Force Headquarters (FHQ) from the four countries arrived on the area of responsibility of the 71st Airmobile Brigade (A/M Bde) of Hellenic Army, near Thessaloniki, Hellas.

During the next days, a Work-Up Staff Training was held for the members of the Force Headquarter (FHQ), in order to provide them knowledge about the structure, operational procedures, internal procedures, and all other necessary information required for assembling the components of HELBROC BG. The aim, of the work-up staff training, is to provide an understanding of the Initiation, Orientation and Concept Development Stages of the Operational Planning Process, and more specifically, the operational planner’s role and responsibilitiesduring the process.

Force Commander of HELBROC BG/FHQ is the Commander of 71st A/M Bde, Brigadier General Christos Markantonis from Hellenic Army. Deputy Commander of HELBROC BG is Colonel Geno Chipilski from Bulgarian Armed Forces.

The Hellenic EU FHQ will operate under Hellenic EU Operational Headquarter (EL EU OHQ) in Larissa, Hellas.

According to the Technical Agreement signed on 13 Nov 2006 in Brussels by the Ministers of Defense from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hellas and Romania, HELBROC BG can only be deployed for Evacuation Operations and for Assistance to Humanitarian Operations.

Next milestone for HELBROC BG is the 7th of May 2007, when Command Post Exercise “EVROPI I/07” will start.

HELBROC BATTLEGROUP FORCE HEADQUARTER

Tel.: +302394041438 (internal: 6145; 6147); fax: +302394041252

03.12.2007 - INVITATION FOR PARTICIPATION TO THE 4 th INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE “HIGH DEFENCE TECHNOLOGIES AGAINST TERORISM” 29th May – 30th May 2008 PLOVDIV - REGISTRATION FORM , INVITATION

Invitation for participation in the third international scientific conference “Euro - Atlantic integration in defence research and technology - guaranteeing future capabilities” 1st June – 2nd June 2006 Plovdiv - invitation, registration form