“This was the purpose of the resolution adopted by the UN Security Council in February”, Irina Bokova went on to say. “We worked together with the members of the Security Council, in order to stop illegal trafficking of cultural valuables. Why is the Islamic State destroying the ancient temple of Palmyra? I was one of the lucky ones who had the chance to visit Palmyra in the months preceding the Syrian conflict. The temple was a unique mixture of architectural styles typical of the Middle East during Antiquity and the Greco-Roman period. The destruction of Palmyra is unacceptable crime against human civilization, because it was a symbol of international dialogue and a material proof of the collaboration between different cultures. That is why the extremists are trying to destroy that monument. If we want to stop them, we have to cut their financing. We are working in that direction together with Interpol, the World Customs Organization, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna, as well as with many partners and governments. We believe that this is our biggest task, so that we can manage to preserve cultural valuables from destruction and protect the civilians and the minorities who are persecuted by the extremists for their religious and ethnical belonging.”

Irina Bokova visited Brussels before she arrived to Sofia. She discussed with MEPs from the Committee on Culture and Education and with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini issues regarding the preservation of cultural valuables in Syria and Iraq.

“Mrs. Mogherini fully supported our actions and said that she was working on a new directive of the EU. I insisted that the EU member states must harmonize their legislation and strengthen control over the imports of cultural valuables. Currently the union has a very severe regime on its exports and the European states have managed to preserve their cultural heritage well. However, they have to take new legislative measures aimed at strengthening the control over the imported items. The USA is taking active part in our international cooperation. We are working in close collaboration with the United States Department of State and the US Department of the Treasury on this problem. We also cooperate with many experts who give us satellite pictures. I must note that the US Congress also received a draft-bill, which aims at strengthening the control over the illegal imports and exports.”

Bulgaria’s national legislation was adapted to the new circumstances with a focus on the ban on trans-border trade with Syria and Iraq.

“I think that Bulgaria had a serious contribution to the solution of this problem. It hosted a large conference on illegal trafficking. I opened the conference together with Bulgaria’s Interior Minister and Deputy Premier Rumiana Bachvarova. Bulgaria participates actively in UNESCO’s activities in the implementation of the 1970 convention which imposed a ban on the illegal export and import of cultural valuables. Bulgaria is a member of the committee which monitors the implementation of the convention. Four years ago I visited Ottawa with Bulgaria’s Minister of Culture Vezhdi Rashidov. Thanks to the 1970 convention Canada returned to Bulgaria over 20,000 items which were illegally exported to that country.”

Mrs. Bokova contends that according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the plundering of the cultural heritage by the Islamic State is a military crime.

“I spoke with Mrs. Fatou Bensouda who works as a prosecutor at the International Criminal Court. We are working with her and her team on the problem regarding the demolition of mausoleums in Timbuktu by the jihadists when they occupied Northern Mali. Her investigation will end soon and she will have enough evidence to initiate a lawsuit. With regard to Syria and Iraq, our biggest difficulty is linked with the fact that these countries have not ratified this convention yet. I sincerely hope that the jihadists will be punished for their crimes”, Irina Bokova concludes.

English version: Kostadin Atanasov