Head of State: Bulgaria and Croatia Share Common responsibility for the Security, Stability and Prosperity of Southeast Europe
2025-07-14 17:38:00
The currency itself cannot be a guarantee for European integration, but the rule of law is required, Rumen Radev said in Zagreb, where he is on an official visit
Bulgaria and Croatia share a common responsibility for the security, stability and prosperity of South-Eastern Europe, as well as for the European perspective of the region. In order for the ¬process of enlargement of the European Union to the Western Balkans to be sustainable and irreversible, it should be based on the principle of the own merits of the countries applying for membership. This was stated by the Head of State Rumen Radev during the joint statements with his Croatian counterpart Zoran Milanovic, at whose invitation the Bulgarian President is on an official visit to Croatia. The visit to Zagreb is in response to Zoran Milanovi?'s visit to Sofia in 2023 and reflects the intensive contacts at the highest political level between the two countries to strengthen bilateral relations.
Today, Rumen Radev was welcomed by Zoran Milanovic with an official ceremony at the presidency in the Croatian capital. The two held a one-on-one meeting and chaired plenary talks between the two official delegations.
During the talks, Rumen Radev and Zoran Milanovic noted the intensified dialogue and good bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Croatia. In economic terms, in 2024, an increase in trade was noted by 50 percent compared to the previous year, reaching EUR 678.5 million. Radev pointed out that cooperation between Bulgaria and Croatia has potential for further development, especially in the areas of energy, improving connectivity, security and defence, culture, tourism, and education.
In his speech to Bulgarian and Croatian media, Rumen Radev noted that the two countries have established themselves as a factor for security and stability in Southeast Europe. The Bulgarian head of state pointed out that although the profound geostrategic changes had increased the role of enlargement policy as a tool for consolidating the European area of security and stability, it was extremely important in the process of their integration into the EU that the Western Balkan partners not only declared their adherence to EU values, but also in practice showed progress in key reforms such as the rule of law, the fight against corruption, freedom of the media and respect for human rights.
We expect more persistent efforts from the leaderships of these countries to oppose any foreign influence, hate speech, the theft of history and, above all, respect for the rights of minorities and communities, said the Bulgarian head of state. Radev stated that within the framework of the rotating presidency, which Bulgaria assumed on 1 July this year of the South-East European Cooperation Process, our country would continue to work to strengthen trust between all participants in this format based on the principles of good neighbourliness and inclusion, as exemplified by Croatia and Bulgaria.
In Bulgaria, we look constructively and well-intendedly at our neighbours from the Republic of North Macedonia, despite the constant aggressive, provocative, even hateful and insulting language towards us. We remain calm, cool-headed, try to help and do everything possible so that they fulfil the criteria and conditions that have been adopted and recorded, is how President Rumen Radev answered a question from a Croatian media outlet related to the relations between Sofia and Skopje and the European integration of the Republic of North Macedonia. The head of state pointed out that in this case there is no bilateral issue, but it is necessary to comply with the 2022 negotiating framework and the criteria in the European consensus reached between the member states, the institutions in Brussels and the Republic of North Macedonia.
Bulgaria is not stopping the RNM on its path to EU membership, but the North Macedonia is stopping itself because it still does not want to fully fulfil the Copenhagen criteria for membership related to non-discrimination and human rights, Rumen Radev pointed out and added that for three years now the RNM has not fulfilled the clearly written condition for the start of negotiations, namely guaranteeing the equality of Bulgarians in the RNM through their inclusion in the constitution and the protection of their rights. The Bulgarian head of state also pointed out that it would not be a good signal to the countries of the Western Balkans if Ukraine's membership in the European Union were not approached objectively. Ukraine's European perspective is clear and supported, but the path to full membership must go through deep reforms, equal with other candidate countries and a well-thought-out and balanced process, said the Bulgarian head of state.
Presidents Radev and Milanovic discussed the deteriorating security environment, the European rearmament plan and the opportunities for expanding bilateral cooperation in the security sector. The Bulgarian head of state noted the prospect of developing joint projects in the field of defence industry. Bulgaria and Croatia continue to actively develop their own defence capacity and contribute to ensuring peace and security by increasing NATO’s common defence potential and strengthening the European security system, said Rumen Radev.
The two presidents noted the need to increase the competitiveness of the European economy. It is good that finally technology, science and innovation are being placed at the foundation of European industry, Radev added, pointing out that Bulgaria and Croatia would work to increase competitiveness.
In response to a journalistic question, the Bulgarian President answered that in order for Bulgaria to be a country with an established rule of law, freedom of the media, a free market economy, transparency and equality in all public procurement and protection of property, a lot of active work is required, not one-off efforts and a change of currency. The currency itself cannot be a guarantee for integration in the heart of Europe, such a guarantee is the efforts to develop as a modern and democratic European state, Radev opined. In response to a journalistic question, the President said that Bulgaria could learn from Croatia’s experience in introducing the euro in terms of finding a balance between an information campaign, control over unjustified price increases and the implementation of all control functions of the state and incentives for economic development. It would be much better if the information campaign and the full-fledged debate had unfolded in Bulgaria long before we requested an extraordinary convergence report, the President also pointed out.
In Zagreb, Radev also held meetings with the Speaker of Parliament, Gordan Jandrokovic, and the Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenkovic, during which the mutual desire to beef up the historically friendly relations between Bulgaria and Croatia, was confirmed and current topics on the EU agenda and bilateral relations were discussed.
