A delegation of the National Assembly, led by the Chairperson of the Foreign Policy Committee Dzhema Grozdanova, took part in an interparliamentary conference on the issues of Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defence Policy in Hague. The members of parliament Georg Georgiev, a member of the Foreign Policy Committee, Neno Vlaykov, Hristo Gadzhev and Mustafa Ahmed from the Defence Committee, took part in the discussion held in the framework of the Dutch Chair-in-Office of the European Union.

Among the topics discussed were the status of the global security strategy and the role of national parliaments in its drafting and the foreign policy aspects of migration, and the focus on the topic was placed on the causes for the  refugee flow and the situation with the countries near the areas of the conflict.

The Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte noted that the priorities of the Dutch Chair-in-Office involve strengthening of the common European market, control over the migration flow and youth unemployment. He stated that the outcome of the referendum to be held in his country for the ratification of the Ukraine-European Union Association Agreement is to be discussed by the Government and the Parliament of the Netherlands. In his words, the issue will be consulted with the European partners and Ukraine before taking a final decision.

In regard to the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen Mark Rutte added that the issue is on the EU agenda and will be implemented step by step.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Bert Koenders and his colleague the Minister of Defence Jeanine Antoinette Hennis-Plasschaert pointed out the need of a broad debate in search of tradeoff between sovereignty  and the common interest of the EU Member States.