Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova took part in the fifteenth edition of the international Dubrovnik Forum in Croatia
09 July 2022 News
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova took part in the fifteenth edition of the international Dubrovnik Forum, which takes place on 8 and 9 July 2022 in Croatia. Discussions at the conference focused on possible responses to the geopolitical and economic challenges resulting from the war in Ukraine, including with regard to their potential implications for the Western Balkans region.
Speaking at a panel on “Time for Solutions in a Vulnerable Part of Europe”, Deputy Minister Petrova noted the impact of the war in Ukraine on every aspect of the international order - from security to the food and energy crisis. “We are also witnessing an increase in hybrid attacks and disinformation campaigns as a tool of Russian propaganda, including in the Western Balkans, clearly directed against the West and the European Union,” she added.
Deputy Minister Petrova stressed that Bulgaria consistently supports both aspects of Euro-Atlantic integration, EU and NATO membership in the Western Balkans as the only viable means to ensure the external security and internal stability of the countries in the region. According to her, precisely at a time of crisis like the current one, it is important for the European Union to strengthen its engagement in the region and to insist on the implementation of the necessary substantial reforms in all areas as an important element to ensure lasting internal stability.
As concrete steps that will contribute to the realisation of this goal, Deputy Minister Petrova highlighted increasing the visibility of the EU in the Western Balkans, including through better-targeted strategic communication, economic assistance and targeted efforts to involve these countries more closely in the Union’s new security and defence initiatives. The Bulgarian deputy minister also stressed the need for the countries in the region to commit to European values and to take responsibility for the reform process in key areas such as rule of law and democratic governance. “Maintaining good-neighbourly relations and adherence to the principles and positions of the Common European Foreign and Security Policy are other key aspects by which the clear geopolitical choice and commitment of the Western Balkan countries are assessed”, Deputy Minister Petrova further underscored.
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