Bulgaria and Slovenia are an insurmountable factor of peace and prosperity in Southeastern Europe with respect to the region’s future and direction of development. This is what Head of State Rosen Plevneliev said at a joint news conference together with Slovene President Borut Pahor during his official visit to Ljubljana.
The President called for facing the contemporary challenges with diplomacy and cooperation. “We welcome any initiative for strengthening and enhancing the EU foundations, as a key factor for peace and understanding among the peoples. The European integration of the Western Balkan countries is of primary importance for ensuring stability and prosperity in the region,” Rosen Plevneliev said. The two Heads of State agreed that Bulgaria and Slovenia should together play a decisive role in continuing the process of EU enlargement with the countries in the region.
The two Presidents discussed the development of the situation in the Republic of Turkey. Rosen Plevneliev voiced concern over the events unfolding in Bulgaria’s southern neighbor and reiterated his call for observing the rule of law and public rights and freedoms. “Currently we should address all difficulties by ensuring more democracy,” the President was adamant. The EU should facilitate the process of preserving the normal functioning of the institutions and the rule of law and guaranteeing good education, Rosen Plevneliev further said.
Migration is one of the challenges that Europe should face by showing unity, by making timely and adequate decisions, President Rosen Plevneliev further said. From Ljubljana the Head of State called on Europe to act more adamantly so as to resolve the conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa in order to overcome the crisis related to the unprecedented migratory pressure along the EU's external borders.
In the context of the migration crisis, the President said that Bulgaria had established very good relations with the Turkish institutions. “We have a fair agreement for readmission with Turkey,” Rosen Plevneliev commented and voiced hope that it will be efficiently implemented.
The two Heads of State were unanimous that joint efforts should be pooled to fight terrorism and emphasized that the European societies should not give in to fear. “Under conditions of challenges that Europe and our countries’ security are facing, it is essential that cooperation in the area of defense and security is achieved, particularly within NATO,” Rosen Plevneliev said. In the President’s opinion, the cooperation and exchange of information among the intelligence services of the European states should be strengthened.
Taking a journalist’s question, the Bulgarian President said that Bulgaria together with Romania would urge that clear plan be drafted and there be clear prospects for lifting the visas for Bulgarian citizens travelling to Canada. This issue could be made contingent on the negotiations related to the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada. “We expect to enjoy such prospects and we are optimistic about the next stage of the negotiations. We are aware how important the Free Trade Agreement with Canada is. Bulgaria will support the EU’s efforts so that a just solution could be found that will defend the rights of all Europeans,” President Plevneliev said.
We should supplement the good political dialogue with an even better economic cooperation, Slovene President Borut Pahor said. The Slovene President reassured that Bulgaria’s and Slovenia’s strong positions within the EU and NATO may contribute to ensuring that the voice of the two countries is better heard on issues related to the regional development and the security in Europe and in the Western Balkans. “We believe that the European idea and the strong European institutions will take the upper hand over topical challenges. However, we should pool our efforts,” President Borut Pahor said.
The President said that Bulgaria had drawn lessons from Slovenia, and will follow suit in carrying out the presidency of the EU Council in 2018.
On the occasion of the Bulgarian Head of State’s visit to Ljubljana and as an expression of the excellent dialogue and friendship between the two countries, Presidents Rosen Plevneliev and Borut Pahor opened a “bench of friendship” in the municipality of Medvode. This is a traditional initiative for the Slovene hosts.
In Ljubljana President Rosen Plevneliev will hold talks also with Slovenia's Prime Minister Miroslav Cerar, National Assembly Vice-President Matjaz Nemec and Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Jankovic. A visit to the high-tech Jozef Stefan Institute is on Plevneliev's agenda as well, where he will get acquainted with innovative projects in the sphere of bio cybernetics and robotics.