Bulgaria and Greece to work together for the European integration of the Western Balkans
21 October 2015 News
"Greece is a significant partner and friend of Bulgaria and it is important for us to coordinate our positions in this dynamic geopolitical situation," Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said at a joint press conference with his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias. The Bulgarian diplomat is paying an official visit to our southern neighbor at the invitation of Minister Kotzias.
The talks focused on the bilateral and regional cooperation, the European integration of the Western Balkans, energy issues, the crisis in the Middle East and the increased migration flows.
"Bulgaria and Greece will deepen their cooperation both at regional level and within the EU. The European future of the Western Balkans is our priority, as the EU will not be complete without the accession of the countries of the region," said Minister Mitov. The two diplomats shared the opinion that the participation of the EU Member States from Southeast Europe in the integration process is essential to address the current challenges facing the region.
Regarding the energy projects, Minister Mitov emphasized that the interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece is a major part of the European Energy Union. According to him, the benefits of building the interconnector are related to the diversification of sources and the interconnection between energy systems. "The upcoming construction of the interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece will guarantee gas supplies to Europe via Bulgaria and Romania, as well as to the northern part of the continent and to the West via Serbia. The reverse flows will have a major contribution to the energy diversification," Minister Mitov said. "The cooperation with Bulgaria in this context is crucial for ensuring the energy security in the region,” added Minister Kotzias.
The foreign ministers also focused on the common for both sides problem with the increased migratory pressure and the need for tougher measures to combat human trafficking and smuggling. "We share a common vision to deal with the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East and North Africa, and we reaffirm the need for specific actions to deal with the situation, including additional aid to Syria’s neighboring countries - Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, and reinforcing the control of the outer borders of the EU with common European efforts," the Bulgarian top diplomat said. He added that close cooperation in that regard needs to be established together not only with EU members but with the candidate countries as well.
Minister Mitov thanked the Greek side for the support when it comes to the Bulgarian membership to the Schengen area and expressed hope that Bulgaria and Greece will work actively to deepen regional cooperation also within and current Bulgarian SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office.
During his visit to Athens, Minister Mitov also held meetings with the President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos and with the Greek Parliament President Nikos Voutsis. The upcoming visit of the Greek President to Bulgaria in December at the invitation of his Bulgarian counterpart Rosen Plevneliev was confirmed during the meetings.
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