The George C. Marshall Association – Bulgaria is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization founded in Sofia in July 2001. It contributes to the development of civil society in Bulgaria and to security and stability in South East Europe through coordinated work in three main areas:

• Security & Defense Policy
• Enhancing Regional Cooperation in South East Europe and the Black Sea Area
• Implementation of Advanced Communications and Information Technologies

Our Mission:

• To develop assessments and strategies to ensure security and stability in South East Europe (SEE) and the Black Sea area using the successful example of the Marshall Plan for Europe;
• To achieve a deeper understanding of reform policies in the areas of security, defense, and foreign policy;
• To contribute to the creation of an environment for the democratic security decision-making process;
• To develop assessments and strategies for NATO enlargement and Bulgaria’s integration in the Alliance;
• To support the introduction of advanced technologies in the area of security and defense;
• To support the most favorable transition of the Bulgarian defense industry in the process of integration in NATO and the EU.Our Strategy:

The efforts of the George C. Marshall Association-Bulgaria are focused on the creation of an environment for effective decision-making in the field of foreign policy, security and defense through education, training and research with the implementation of new technologies.

The Association establishes strategic partnerships with leading institutes and research centers in the area of foreign policy, security and defense. It provides a bridge to other regions and participates in the Consortium of Defense Academies and Security Study Institutes within the framework of the Partnership for Peace Program.

The activities of the George C. Marshall Association-Bulgaria are organized in the following main programs:

• Research programs leading primarily to the preparations of draft laws, organizational designs, reengineering, and comparative analyses and assessments;
• Educational and training programs, seminars and conferences – both national and international – with the participation of members of parliament, state administration, business, academia and civil society;
• Consultation projects for governmental, business and international organizations; and,
• Management, information projects and development of partnership networks.

The strategy will be implemented through actions in the following areas:

• Familiarization of policy makers with the latest research findings, policies and practices in the field of national, regional and international security affairs; security policy and defense reform; NATO and EU membership; and, democratic control over the security and defense sector;
• Consulting projects with the parliament and government on Bulgaria’s integration in NATO, and national and international security issues;
• Development of a strategic community in the field of foreign policy, security and defense in Bulgaria and implementation of advanced technologies;
• Preparation and support of legislation in Bulgaria regarding:

– Democratic and civil control of the security sector;
– Protection of the classified information;
– Crisis prevention and crisis management;
– Intelligence community;
– Defense;
– Armed forces;
– Defense planning and programming; Armaments modernization;
– Public (defense) procurement and acquisition;
– Defense industry;
– IT management; and,
– Diplomatic service.

• Active involvement in the familiarization of local authorities and communities on the basic trends of defense reform, NATO enlargement implications for the region and the importance of civil society in the formulation of national strategic objectives;
• Informing the public about basic developments in security sector reforms and foreign policy objectives (participation in round tables, local conferences, and joint projects with regional NGOs).