NEWS

Bulgaria and the Czech Republic share a common stand on issues of illegal immigration and security, which are a high priority to both countries. This became clear during talks between President Rosen Plevneliev and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Bohuslav Sobotka during the official visit of the Bulgarian Head of State in Prague. The Czech Republic has expressed support in closing the so called Balkan Migration Route, noting the difficulties Bulgaria encounters when protecting the external borders of the European Union against the background of intensified migration pressure. 

 

"From the very beginning of the migration crisis in 2013 Bulgaria has been acting responsibly and has been registering all migrants on its territory, strictly observing the rules set in Dublin and Schengen", added President Rosen Plevneliev. The Head of State underscored that Bulgaria was one of the first Member-States to confront the migration wave and notwithstanding its limited financial resources, undertook the necessary steps to curb that pressure. 

 

"The measures that Bulgaria introduced for protecting the external borders of the EU, have contributed significantly to the decrease of migration pressure on the countries in Central and Western Europe", said on his part Bohuslav Sobotka. The Czech Prime Minister added that despite the difficulties in carrying out the EU-Turkey agreement, the efforts to put it into force should continue.  

 

"We have demonstrated that Bulgaria deserves trust, we can effectively protect the external borders of the EU and therefore Bulgaria is entitled to be accepted at the first stage -  with its airports and ports – in the Schengen area", emphasised President Rosen Plevneliev. Prime Minister Sobotka predicted that the issue of Bulgaria and Romania joining Schengen will be of more and more immediate importance and demonsrtaed the unconditional support of the Czech Republic for Bulgaria’s membership of the area, free of border control.  

 

The Head of State underscored once again that the migration crisis can be overcome solely by means of a common European effort and in cooperation with the countries in the crisis regions. "The most severe crisis that Europe can experience is the crisis of division", warned the Bulgarian President and made an appeal to accelerating the existing projects and creating new integrational initiatives for Europe, such as a European energy union.

 

The situation in South-Eastern Europe and the integration processes in the countries of the Western Balkans were the main focus of the talks of the Bulgarian President in Prague. President Rosen Plevneliev and Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka expressed their determination that the integration of the Western Balkan countries into the European and Euro-Atlantic structures should continue; this process will also guarantee the peace and security in the region and in the whole of Europe. "Bulgaria today is a stabilizing and a very positive factor in the region", also added the Head of State.

 

President Rosen Plevneliev and Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka expressed their satisfaction at the ever more intensive political dialogue at the highest level between the two countries. The Head of State highlighted the advantages of Bulgaria as a leading outsourcing destination and invited representatives of the Czech business sector to avail of the opportunities our country offers to a number of global companies. Bulgaria also disposes of one of the best innovative ecosystem on the Balkans and provides an excellent environment for new businesses, added the Head of State. 

 

Cooperation in the area of security and defence, the migration crisis, integration of the countries in the Western Balkans, as well as current European and international issues, were among the topics discussed in Prague by President Rosen Plevneliev and the President of the Czech Chamber of Deputies Ian Hamachek. 

 

Rosen Plevneliev and Ian Hamachek expressed the common position that the Balkans should be the focus of European politics, and the countries in the region need a clear signal in support of their efforts on the path of European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Both leaders were unanimous that the current crises in Europe cannot be solved by national means, but can only be overcome by means of a common European approach.  

 

Special emphasis during the talks was placed on the cooperation between Bulgaria and the Czech Republic in the sphere of defence and military equipment, which was assessed as excellent. The Czech Republic is planning an increase in defence expenses up to 1.4% of GDP, became clear at the meeting.

Statement by Head of State Iliana Iotova

For projects aimed at improving connectivity between Bulgaria and Turkiye must be viewed as a whole, to be successful, and within the context of closer cooperation in Southeastern Europe. This will bolster both economic development and security in the region, whose strategic importance is growing. This was stated by President Iliana Iotova at a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who is on a formal visit to Bulgaria.

Albulena Haxhiu expressed her gratitude to President Iotova for Bulgaria’s support on Kosovo’s path toward membership in NATO and the European Union.

Iliana Iotova raised the issue of depopulation in the area along the Bulgarian-Serbian border and highlighted the need for investment to counter the adverse demographic trend.