In what both sides hope will be the final round of talks, Bulgaria and the United States are to resolve outstanding issues regarding US use of military bases in the country.

After a March 20 meeting of the coalition council of the three parties in the Cabinet, a joint statement on behalf of the leaders of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, National Movement Simeon II and the Movement for Rights and Freedoms said that the “national interest” would guide the final agreement on military bases.

In next week’s talks, the US delegation will be headed by Robert Loftis, US chief negotiator. Plans are for the agreement to be signed in April during a visit to Bulgaria by US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. It will be subject to ratification by Bulgaria’s Parliament.

Speaking in Veliko Turnovo on March 22, US ambassador John Beyrle said that negotiations were proceeding on schedule.

“Each detail is being agreed, and I hope that the agreement on joint use of the bases by Bulgarian and American soldiers will be finalised shortly,” he said.

According to statements by Bulgarian Cabinet ministers and by Beyrle, the bases will be under Bulgarian command and the US troops under US commanding officers. Bases at Novo Selo, Bezmer Airport and Graf Ignatievo will be covered by the agreement, with some other storage areas and manouevring areas also being discussed.

Angel Naidenov, chair of Parliament’s committee on defence, said on March 21 that there would different annexes to the agreement for each base. Naidenov said that Bulgaria wanted the US to finance all auxiliary facilities at each base. Other points on which Bulgaria is insisting include that if US soldiers commit crimes against Bulgarian citizens, the soldiers will be tried under Bulgarian legislation. The bases should be used for purposes only to which Bulgaria has consented.

Meanwhile, the ultra-nationalist party Ataka withdrew from Parliament for an indefinite time, to go on tour to organise protests against joint US military bases in Bulgaria. Ataka leaders also demanded elections ahead of schedule.

The first rally in Sliven, on March 21, was crowded with people shouting “Volen!”, “Victory”, “Ataka” and “Bulgaria!” Sliven, in south-eastern Bulgaria, is the location of the Novo Selo training ground. Ataka activists from Yambol in south-eastern Bulgaria, home to the future Bulgaria-US Bezmer Airport, were also at the meeting, along with residents of Shumen, Stara Zagora, Kazanluk and other towns in south-eastern and central Bulgaria. The protesters had posters and flags saying: “Let’s reclaim Bulgaria!” and “No to US bases!” Siderov promised to organise similar rallies in each major Bulgarian town over the next two weeks against the ruling coalition and against the placement of US troops at the joint bases.

Another nationalistic organisation, the International Macedonian Revolution Organisation (popularly referred to as VMRO) has firmly disassociated itself from Ataka protests against Bulgaria’s European Union integration and NATO presence in the country. The place of an MP is in Parliament protecting the interests of people, and not on the squares, said a declaration by the Plovdiv VMRO regional committee sent to the media on March 21. If Ataka thinks that they have no place in Parliament, they should just get out, the regional committee said. It was, moreover, unclear whether Ataka is protesting against NATO and membership in the EU, or is just protesting for the sake of protesting, the statement said.

At the March 21 rally, Siderov said that the following days and weeks should be dedicated to the creation of a categorical stance of Ataka supporters against US bases. Ataka might form human chains “to protect the homeland”, he said. He threatened with jail those who sign the contract for the presence of US bases in Bulgaria.