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Rumen Radev: Connectivity between Bulgaria and Greece Is Key to Better Business Efficiency and Tackling Crises

The connectivity between Bulgaria and Greece is a key factor for enhancing business efficiency and coping with the aftereffects of the regional crises. This is what President Rumen Radev said during a meeting with the Hellenic Business Council in Sofia. The organisation has 170 Greek companies as its members that operate on the Bulgarian market in various areas of the technological, manufacturing, financial, and commercial sectors. The President described the trade of almost EUR 7 billion a year as a clear indicator of the positive trend in economic cooperation and expressed the expectation that with the implementation of a number of new projects strengthening connectivity, the statistical indicators will improve even more.

According to Radev, over the past decades Bulgaria and Greece have become a strategic axis of stability in the Balkans and an example of sound cooperation, which creates an excellent basis for business. The option of Bulgaria's accession to Schengen this year will be a serious incentive for promoting both trade and tourism. With Romania also joining Schengen, Greek ports will have direct access to Eastern and Central Europe and this should be a common goal. Rumen Radev also emphasised the importance of increasing the capacity of the Kulata-Promahon BCP, as well as the opening of the Rudozem-Xanthi BCP as soon as possible.

The head of State highlighted the excellent political and diplomatic interaction between Bulgaria and Greece, as well as the advancing institutional partnership framework, through which the business of the two neighbouring countries can achieve optimal results. The President also highlighted the draft laws prepared by the caretaker government in justice reform and improvement of the regulatory framework to support the business.

The energy crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic and the raging war in Ukraine have redefined the notions of good neighbourliness, cooperation, mutual assistance and solidarity, Radev commented. He stressed that in times of crisis, neighbours and partners are the most important partners and expressed gratitude for the helping hand of our southern neighbour, with whose support Bulgaria secured the necessary quantities of natural gas at a difficult time. The commissioning of the interconnector in October last year, the resumption of the Alexandroupolis-Burgas oil pipeline project, as well as the partnership to tighten the security of gas supplies, are important components for ensuring real energy diversification, President Rumen Radev told the business representatives.