ABSTRACT
Bulgaria suggested the establishment of a Balkan nuclear weapon-free zone (BNWFZ). A BNWFZ may contribute towards turning the Mediterranean area into a zone of security and peace. It may also help in the creation of a central European nuclear weapon-free zone, of key importance for European security. The establishment of a BNWFZ has singular international policy implications. From a strategic point of view the BNWFZ would become a kind of a buffer between the nuclear powers of the two military blocs—a sanctum in one of the most sensitive areas of the globe at the crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa. Public opinion in the Balkan countries has recently shown growing support for the BNWFZ idea. But from the point of view of the feasibility of the BNWFZ idea, one should also take into account some potential negative factors. The Balkans are, in a way, a micro-model of today’s world.
