Participants in the Three Seas Initiative Supported Priorities for Greater Connectivity
30 June 2020 News
Bulgaria is of the view that efforts invested in the Three Seas initiative should yield concrete results, including through the necessary funding of projects proposed by participating countries.
“I would like to point out that infrastructural connectivity, including with the Western Balkans, is of substantial importance for achieving competitiveness and economic growth. Bulgaria’s role for the further development of pan-European infrastructure corridors is becoming increasingly important,” Deputy Foreign Minister Milen Lyutskanov said at a video conference of the foreign ministers of the countries participating in the Three Seas initiative.
The participants in the meeting supported the priorities of the Three Seas: more infrastructure, energy and digital connectivity between countries. They insisted on more security, including in the sphere of investments. The participants discussed the prospects for achieving economic advancement in their countries and overcoming the socio-economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. Preparatory work for the upcoming summit meeting under the Three Seas Initiative in Talinn on 19 to 20 October was discussed.
Milen Lyutskanov thanked the Estonian hosts for organizing today’s video conference and recalled that Bulgaria had presented infrastructure projects at the summit in Bucharest in 2018. Bulgaria is working actively within the initiative in the format Partnership for Transatlantic Energy Cooperation (P-TECH) as well as for improving the security of gas supply, facilitating road and railroad links with countries such as Greece, Romania, Hungary, Czechia, Poland and the Baltic states.
Referring to the Three Seas investment fund, Milen Lyutskanov said that clear criteria for determining top priority projects for financing and said projects’ compatibility with Bulgarian national interests were needed.
Deputy Minister Lyutskanov briefed the other participants on Bulgaria’s intention to appoint a national coordinator for the Three Seas initiative, following suit with other countries. He also said that 2022 may be a convenient year for Bulgaria to host the initiative.
The Three Seas initiative is a forum of 12 EU countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Bulgaria’s participation in the process of regional cooperation under the Three Seas initiative complements EU policies and creates opportunities for the implementation of Bulgaria’s economic priorities, particularly connecting the country with the European energy and transport networks.
The video conference was chaired by Estonia. Helga Schmid, Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Stephen Biegun, US Deputy Secretary of State, and Miguel Berger, State Secretary of the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, attended the video conference.
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