The development of the individual countries and regions in the EU and also of the infrastructure connecting them is unequal and this requires additional support for the implementation of projects on transport and energy connections in Central and Eastern Europe. This was the common position shared by the Presidents of Bulgaria and Poland Rumen Radev and Andrzej Duda, who held a bilateral meeting today in Munich. The two Heads of State were adamant that the better connectivity in Eastern Europe will boost trade and economic growth in the region and will be beneficial for the entire EU.
The Bulgarian President accepted his Polish counterpart’s invitation to represent Bulgaria at the second meeting of the Three Seas Initiative launched by Croatia and Poland, which will be held in the Polish town of Wroclaw. The first agreements on improving the regional energy and transport infrastructure are expected to be signed at the meeting.
Continuing the Cohesion Policy with respect to Bulgaria after 2020 as a factor ensuring economic growth and getting closer to the more developed EU member states is of extreme importance, President Radev said at the meeting. President Duda assured the Bulgarian Head of State that the Republic of Poland understands the significance of continuing the Cohesion Policy for the Republic of Bulgaria and supports the Bulgarian position.
Both Rumen Radev and Andrzej Duda pointed out that energy diversification is of key importance for Eastern Europe as it will enhance the security of energy supplies and will reduce their prices. The countries from the region will continue pooling efforts to expand the energy networks along the North-South Corridor, which will allow alternative supplies to all East European countries. Poland already has a port for liquefied natural gas supplies, which will be expanded with an additional terminal for such supplies from Norway. Bulgaria already has an operating gas interconector with Romania and President Radev called for building an energy infrastructure which will connect Bulgaria and Poland.
The two Presidents noted the positive trend in the bilateral trade and tourism, which topped 1.3 billion euro in 2016. Bulgaria was visited by 300,000 Polish tourists last year. The Polish Head of State told President Radev that he expects the number of Polish citizens visiting Bulgaria to reach half a million in 2017.
At the meeting the Bulgarian Head of State highly appreciated the bilateral cooperation in the defense sector and voiced hope that it will become stronger.
During the Munich Security Conference, President Rumen Radev also held meetings with the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, and with the EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn. Topical issues related to the migratory crisis and its impact on Bulgaria were on the agenda.
The Head of State discussed with Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid the cooperation between the two countries during their EU Presidencies and Estonia's positive experience in the introduction of e-government.
At the forum President Rumen Radev also met his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev, who invited the Bulgarian Head of State to make an official visit in Azerbaijan.
In Munich Radev was invited to a working meeting on topical security issues attended by US Senators, top US military and business representatives. The forum was chaired by former US Defense Secretary William Cohen and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Curtis M. Scaparrotti.