Russia's Anti-Extremist Initiatives Rescuing Europe – Bulgarian Party Ataka

The Ataka party will propose Russia's coalition initiative to the Bulgarian parliament for consideration.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russia’s initiatives to counter violent extremism will rescue a Europe currently reeling from an enormous refugee influx, the head of the Bulgarian party Ataka Volen Siderov said Thursday.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the creation of a broad international anti-terrorism coalition that includes the participation of Syrian government troops.

“Practically, Russian anti-Islamist actions are rescuing Europe. The present wave of migrants threatens Europe. This is a big threat for Bulgaria, because we are the small state and we are not protected as required. This is my party’s opinion,” Siderov said.

Siderov added that Ataka would propose Russia's coalition initiative to the Bulgarian parliament for consideration.

ISIL is a violent extremist group, primarily operating in Iraq and Syria, where it has seized large territories and imposed sharia law. Radical fundamentalist groups in other countries have allied themselves with ISIL.

The US-led coalition against the Islamic State, consisting of 62 nations, has been conducting airstrikes in Syria, albeit without UN Security Council authorization or approval by the Syrian government.

Moscow states that ISIL cannot be defeated without the cooperation with the Syrian Army. On Wednesday, Russia launched airstrikes against ISIL in Syria at the request of Damascus.