SOFIA, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The Bulgarian government on Wednesday approved a counter-terrorism bill to create an effective mechanism for inter-institutional collaboration in the prevention and response to potential terrorist threats, officials said.
According to the bill, which has to be approved by the parliament, the Council of Ministers would perform the general management in countering terrorism, and adopt a strategy and a national plan for countering terrorism, the government said in a statement.
Meanwhile, a national counterterrorism center would be located in the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security, the country's counterintelligence service, and provide round-the-clock relevant information to the competent authorities and bodies, the statement said.
The draft law also regulated the involvement of the Armed Forces in combating terrorism and in the aftermath of terrorist acts, it said.
Bulgaria was hit by a terror attack in 2012 when a bomber blew himself up near a tourist bus packed with Israelis at the Burgas airport, killing five tourists and the driver.
