On May 16th 2012 in accordance with annual plan, reported to AFCEA International HQ in Washington, together with the Ministry of Interior organized its spring conference “Ministry of Interior’s Smart Security Building Approach”. Active participants to the event were Ministry of Defense, State Commission on Information Security, State National Security Agency, Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The goal of the conference was on one hand to clarify the NATO Smart Defense strategy and the Alliance views regarding its support in South East Europe, and on other hand, the local community and industry to receive in ethical and non-corruptive environment, about smart approach of the Government in the technical and technological aspects of the National security, but also the State institutions to be acquainted with the technical solutions, proposed by industry in the security sphere.
The AFCEA Chapter Board considers that the goals of the conference are achieved and there were additional positive effects:
First: MoI has demonstrated its ability to work with NGO (This is the fourth AFCEA Conference with the Ministry, two of which with the personal participation and comprehensive speeches of Deputy Prime Minister Tzvetan Tzetanov – Honorable AFCEA International member).
Second: MoI has shown openness and transparence regarding its modernization projects.
Third: During the conference once again the technical readiness for Shengen was confirmed.
AFCEA “Sofia” Chapter was the first NGO in Bulgaria to start discussion on NATO Smart Defense concept and this conference was natural continuation of this process. AFCEA invited D-r. Holger Bahle from NATO HQ to explain NATO view for cooperation in South East Europe in the smart defense and security and the possibility to establish a support and coordination team in the Region. The next day this idea was evaluated in the Ministry of Defense with the Deputy Minister Valentin Radev, D-r Bahle, AFCEA International RVP for Mediterranean and Black Sea Region Konstantin Zografov and Chapter President Simeon Kralikov.

The conference started with and introduction by Mr. Boyko Slavtchev, Chief of the Cabinet of the Deputy Prime Minister Tzvetanov. He delivered a greeting address on behalf of Mr. Tzvetanov and very clearly described MoI policy for technical and technological aspects of security. He was followed by excellent presentations of Commissar Stoyan Mitev, Deputy Director of CIS and D-r Antoaneta Frantzova from the General Directorate on Fire Fighting and Civil Protection. The support of Deputy Minister Dimitar Georgiev, CIS Directorate Chief Ivan Dimitrov and the Director of General Directorate on Fire Fighting and Civil Protection, Chief Commissar Nikola Nikolov was of a great importance for the Conference.
More than 90-100 specialists attended the conference, 28 industry representatives 8 of which presented their specialized equipment and solutions:

• INTERNATIONAL POWER SUPPLY
• MICROSOFT BULGARIA
• HEWLETT PACKARD BULGARIA
• KEIT
• АТОS IT SOLUTIONS AND SERVICES
• RITTAL
• LIREX
• INDEX

On the photos:
Top – From left to right: Simeon Kralikov, AFCEA “Sofia” Chapter President, Konstantin Zografov, AFCEA International RVP for Mediterranean and Black Sea Region, Valentin Ganev, Member of the State Commission on Information Security, Boyko Slavtchev, Chief of the Cabinet of MoI, Commissar Stoyan Mitev, Deputy Directir of CIS of MoI.

Audience of the conference. On the front Brigadier N. Nenov, Deputy Commander of Land Forces and Chief Commissar Nikola Nikolov, Director of General Directorate on Fire Fighting and Civil Protection.