Government approves Bulgarian withdrawal from Iraq
16/11/2008
SOFIA. Bulgaria -- The Bulgarian government on Thursday (November 13th) approved a proposal to withdraw its 155 troops from Iraq when their mandate expires at the end of the year. "It was a very hard mission for our troops," Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev, who campaigned in 2005 to withdraw troops, said. He recalled Bulgaria has lost 13 soldiers and six civilians in Iraq.
Also Thursday, the cabinet approved a national action plan to fight terrorism. It includes a number of measures ranging from prevention of the spread of "radical ideas" to enhanced co-operation with the EU, NATO and other allies, a statement said. (BTA, BNR, Darik, Sofia news agency, AFP, AP - 13/11/08)