Georg Georgiev Following His Meeting with the Slovak Foreign Minister: Slovakia is Our EU Partner and NATO Ally - Our Cooperation Remains Active and Productive
24 March 2025 News
"Slovakia is our partner in the European Union and a NATO ally, we maintain active and fruitful cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels. The friendly relations between our two countries are founded on deep historical and cultural ties between our peoples." This was stated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev following his meeting with his Slovak counterpart Juraj Blanár, who arrived in Sofia today for a one-day working visit.
The two ministers and their respective delegations held discussions on a wide range of issues of bilateral interest, including energy, regional security and cooperation, as well as pressing issues on the international agenda, such as Europe’s collective defence, and the conflicts the world is currently facing – topics that call for joint efforts and intensified collaboration.
Minister Georgiev discussed with his guest opportunities to further strengthen the traditionally strong economic relations with the Slovak Republic in areas such as innovation, technology and industrialisation. The Bulgarian Foreign Minister presented the favourable conditions Bulgaria offers for investment and joint projects.
The two delegations also discussed the work on the protection of the EU's external borders and the fight against illegal migration. "Bulgaria is a country that attaches paramount importance to the fight against illegal migration and safeguarding both its own and the European borders," the Bulgarian Foreign Minister said, and expressed gratitude to his Slovak counterpart for Slovakia's continued support for Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area and for the protection of the Bulgarian border. Slovak police officers participate annually in Frontex operations on the territory of Bulgaria.
The two ministers also reviewed Bulgaria’s progress toward Eurozone accession, as well as Slovakia's consistent support for Bulgaria’s candidacy to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Energy security in Europe was another focal point of their talks, including the potential for deeper collaboration between Bulgaria and Slovakia in this context. The two delegations discussed energy supply routes, the opportunities presented by Bulgaria’s gas transmission network, and investments in the transport of energy resources.
Minister Georgiev and Minister Blanár also acknowledged the existing long-standing traditions and robust exchange between Bulgaria and Slovakia in the areas of culture, education, and science. "We are proud of the "Hristo Botev" Bulgarian Secondary School in Bratislava, which has a history spanning over 75 years. Bulgarian studies in Slovakia are also founded on long-standing, well-established traditions, and this year marks the 100th anniversary of their inception," Georgiev noted following the meeting.
During the meeting, the two chief diplomats further discussed the dynamically evolving security and defense landscape, and agreed on the need for the European Union to continue working closely with the US and other like-minded partners and allies to promote security and stability. They also underscored the importance of the EU investing in its own defense, as it possesses the resources, capabilities, and technologies necessary to make it equally strong and capable of guaranteeing not only Ukraine’s security, but also its own.
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