Sofia, Sep 18 (IANS) Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev has inaugurated the first NATO body in the country.

The International Organisation Crisis Management and Disaster Response Centre of Excellence (CMDR COE) has been set up.

Caretaker Minister of Defence, Velizar Shalamanov Wednesday said that Bulgaria has decided to specialise in the transformation process of NATO because it wanted to build a bridge of cooperation to the European Union (EU), Xinhua reported.

"The experience gained allows this centre to be a serious tool for improving cooperation between NATO and the EU in the interest of European countries and in the interest of all countries that receive aid from the EU and NATO in critical situations," Shalamanov said.

President Plevneliev, who is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the country's armed forces, said the establishment and functioning of CMDR COE is an important step and a good opportunity to strengthen the links between the allies within NATO.

"I hope we will be more active from now on in the implementation of joint projects, as well as the building of common defense capabilities with the armed forces of our neighbors and partners," Plevneliev said.