Connectivity is a condition for promoting development and economic growth not only on a national, but also on a regional and global level. This is the position all participants in the 10th summit of ASEM agreed on, President Rosen Plevneliev told journalists. The heads of state and government identified as a common priority the modernization and development of the transport infrastructure linking Europe and Asia, by building high-speed railways and modernizing ports and airports, the Head of State further said.
“Bulgaria can play an enormous part in this process by completing the highway from Turkey to Serbia, by expanding the capacities of the Bulgarian industrial zones and building a high-speed railway to Istanbul,” the President emphasized. In the Head of State’s view, this provides our country the opportunity to position itself on the trade route between Europe and Asia, which is also the largest trading partner of the European countries. At the forum the prime ministers of China, Vietnam, Singapore and other countries voiced their interest in further encouraging the cooperation with Bulgaria.
At the meeting held between President Rosen Plevneliev and the prime minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, the opportunities for cooperation in food production and high tech clusters were highlighted. Singapore is among the leading countries in the development of high technologies, and Bulgaria is working ever more vigorously in this area and is emerging as an IT hub in the region of Southeast Europe. Our country is one of the first countries that established diplomatic relations with independent Singapore and these have a considerable potential for development by exchanging business delegations and conducting joint business forums, particularly in the spheres of small and medium-sized enterprises. President Rosen Plevneliev also voiced Bulgaria’s support for the ratification of the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Singapore.
Within the ASEM forum, the President also held talks with a lot of his European counterparts, who voiced their support for the formation of a stable Bulgarian government and shared their countries’ experience. “Bulgaria has a strong political will to form a government and this can be achieved not by conducting negotiations on appointments, but by reaching an agreement on a clear action program,” the Head of State said. Rosen Plevneliev emphasized that the people do not expect more messiahs and saviors, but want an affirmed democracy and functioning institutions. “Coalition culture is part of this. We can achieve it only when we know that it is based on strong and clear principles, when we realize what sensible actions we would like the state to take rather than who will get government appointments,” the President was adamant.
In reply to a question Rosen Plevneliv said that the crisis in Ukraine and the escalation of tension in the Middle East were also debated at the forum. The President voiced his hope that a lasting solution of the crisis in Ukraine will be found by holding a dialogue and implementing the agreement reached in Minsk. “What gave me a cause for grave concern in today's speeches of the European political leaders and of the Russian Federation was the different views on what our actions should be based on from now on, because there is talk of rule of law and a
law-governed State. Assessments of which decision is based on the rule of law and which is not are divergent," the Head of State said. He pointed out that, unfortunately, both parties to the conflict hold deeply entrenched positions, and they continue to drift apart.
“The majority of the UN member states presented clear and strong arguments showing that the referendum conducted in Crimea is illegitimate,” Rosen Plevneliev added and voiced his fears that the Ukrainian crisis may become yet another “frozen conflict” in Europe.