Former Foreign Minister Nadezhda Mihailova said that along with the prompt positive response to the U.S. request for an air corridor in future operations against terrorism, Bulgaria needs to start a public debate and consider all the risks involved in the fight against terrorism.

Mihailova stated her position in a message sent to the media on Wednesday following the decision of the government to grant the right to passage to U.S. transport planes and helicopters for an anti-terrorism operation. "What Bulgaria cannot afford is to leave the public not fully informed of all arguments that have driven the government of Simeon Saxe-Coburg to one decision or another."

According to Mihailova, Parliament needs to take adequate legislative measures and update the Bulgarian position with a view to the new global challenges of terrorism.

Mihailova said that while she fully supported the decision for granting the air corridor, in her capacity as representative of the Union of Democratic Forces, she would not want to see an incident in Bulgaria or the region "that might influence negatively public opinion and put to question Bulgaria's present position and Euro-Atlantic orientation."

The deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Asen Agov of the United Democratic Forces, announced in Parliament on Wednesday that the main parameters on Bulgarian Army personnel, previously agreed on a political level, were modified in a report sent to the General Staff of NATO in August. Agov specified that the number of reservist command personnel, as well as of the navy and the air force, was increased.

The report was sent in August, precisely at the time when power was changing hands, Agov added. He commented that this could be interpreted as an attempt on the part of the General Staff to sabotage reform in the army.

"If it is a result of negligence, it is too bad for the General Staff. If it is a result of a certain policy, obviously an attempt is being made to preserve the number of senior officers, that is, to multiply the command personnel of the army at the expense of young and promising officers and sergeants in the Bulgarian Army," Agov pointed out.

"We, personally, will ask for very serious sanctions against the authors of that report, and we will demand a clear stance from both the government, and the individual ministers in it, and in particular the minister of defence, and the minister of foreign affairs," he added.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry faxed a message to the U.S. embassy in Sofia informing it of the Bulgarian decision to grant the air corridor. Earlier on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Elena Poptodorova said that the U.S. request was of a general nature. The route of the air corridor will be specified at a later stage. No time frame has been set for the air corridor permission.

Poptodorova also said that no request has come for the passage of combat planes and helicopters, or for the use of Bulgarian airfields and landing strips. A possible future request to that effect will be considered by the specific authorities in keeping with the established rules and procedures, she added.