28 November 2025 | 15:03
In his speech, the president pointed out that Bulgaria highly values its relations with Iraq, which is an important partner in the Middle East region
NEWS
Rumen Radev: The EU Enlargement Process Should Be Based on Sustainable Results in Building Good-Neighbourly Relations in the Balkans
2021-05-21 16:33:00The President met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal Augusto Santos Silva and the Neighbourhood and Enlargement EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi
EU enlargement should be based on achieving sustainable results in building good-neighbourly relations in the Balkans and this must be an irreversible process in the future, declared Head of State, Mr. Rumen Radev, who met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Portugal Augusto Santos Silva and the Neighbourhood and Enlargement EU Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi today at the Presidency. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Svetlan Stoev also participated in the meeting.
The possible approaches for accelerating the process of European integration of the countries in the Western Balkans were the focal point of the discussion.
Mr. Rumen Radev emphasised the impressive progress on the European Agenda achieved within the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union and pointed out the efforts of European institutions for even closer integration of the Western Balkans into a United Europe. Bulgaria is a responsible EU Member State and will continue supporting the EU accession candidates to meet the Copenhagen Criteria for Membership and to strengthen the principles of good-neighbourliness and respecting human rights which lie at the heart of European cooperation, the President stated.
“The European perspective of the Western Balkans and EU enlargement are an undoubted priority for Bulgaria,” the Head of State further affirmed and added that a direct and open dialogue is most important for achieving effective results for countries applying for EU membership. “Therefore, we want to see not declarations, but clear guarantees for our national security and our national interests,” Mr. Rumen Radev further indicated.
The excellent bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Portugal were also underlined during the meeting, proven by the upcoming visit of the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, to Bulgaria in June.
MORE FROM NEWS
24 November 2025 | 19:07
Taking advantage of their geostrategic position, Bulgaria and Georgia have the potential to deepen their connectivity in various areas such as transport, energy, and the digital sector, which will contribute to promoting the economy, investment, and prosperity in the Black Sea region. This was stated by President Rumen Radev, who held a meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili.
13 November 2025 | 14:02
The two were unanimous that restoring peace in Europe through diplomacy is a priority for the EU and the only way to ensure the long-term security and stability of the Old Continent.
12 November 2025 | 14:02
The President recalls that the institution of the Special Commercial Administrator (SCA) was introduced by an Act adopted in 2023, which also established a number of safeguards against potential abuse and arbitrariness — safeguards of the kind already adopted in other European states faced with similar circumstances, with the objective of minimising the risk of subsequent financial claims against the State