NEWS

The President: Bulgaria is striving to achieve a closer cooperation with Slovakia in the energy sector and the sphere of energy security

Bulgaria is striving to achieve a closer cooperation with Slovakia and the countries from the Visegrad four in the energy sector and the sphere of energy security, President Rosen Plevneliev said at a joint news conference held together with his Slovak counterpart Ivan Gasparovic today. The Bulgarian Head of State is on an official visit to the Republic of Slovakia at the invitation of President Gasparovic.

The construction of a regional natural gas market of the Central-European states – Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia and its further expansion to Bulgaria, Romania and Greece by 2014 is an opportunity for our country to guarantee the security of the supply of energy resources, Rosen Plevneliev said. According to him, in a regional plan, Bulgaria will also make its contribution to diversification by constructing the interconnectors between Bulgaria and its neighbors – Romania, Serbia, Greece and Turkey.

The two presidents highlighted the opportunity for a follow-up strengthening of the economic relations between Bulgaria and Slovakia. Even in the conditions of an ongoing economic crisis, the bi-lateral trade enjoys a steady upward trend  and in 2012 it exceeded 430 million euros, which is the highest level since 2007, President Gasparovic said. Rosen Plevneliev emphasized that this positive dynamics in the economic relations has a potential to be accelerated.   According to the Bulgarian Head of State, Bulgaria’s and Slovakia’s economies achieve success in similar sectors and this fact creates favorable conditions for joint productions in the automobile industry, information and communication technologies, pharmacy, agriculture and the production of food sectors.

The two presidents also pointed out the necessity to more actively support the small and medium-sized enterprises in the two countries, which represent 95 percent of the economy and secure one-third of the jobs. Ivan Gasparovic added that Bulgaria remains a preferred destination for the Slovak tourists and expects that their number will exceed 90 thousand per year.

Bulgaria and Slovakia share common positions regarding the topics on the EU agenda, it became clear during the news conference of the two presidents. Both Rosen Plevneliev and Ivan Gasparovic think that the EU must preserve the role of the Cohesion policy as a factor ensuring growth and reducing the differences in the development of the EU member states. The two presidents also voiced their support for encouraging the dialogue between the EU and the Eastern partnership countries. “Bulgaria will unconditionally support Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on their way to joining the EU family,” Rosen Plevneliev said.
President Ivan Gasparovic said that Slovakia is granting financial support worth 100 thousand euros for the Syrian refugees in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Red Cross will manage the money. Slovakia has already provided financial support to Bulgaria worth 30 thousand euros in terms of beds, blankets, devices for eating and others. “We will never forget this sincere gesture of friendship and the helping hand lent to us at this difficult moment,” President Plevneliev emphasized. “Slovakia was the first country to offer help to Bulgaria because we believe we are obliged to help our EU partners on such a difficult issue as coping with the inflow of refugees,” Ivan Gasparovic said.

The two Heads of State also discussed the cooperation within the Danube strategy at their meeting. Bulgaria and Slovakia will put efforts into improving the harbor infrastructure and navigation along the Danube.  

Rosen Plevneliev expressed gratitude to Ivan Gasparovic for the good attitude shown to the Bulgarian community in Slovakia, which is well integrated and enjoys all conditions for preserving its cultural identity.  “I would also like to thank you for the efforts you have personally put in the past 20 years into preserving the Bulgarian school Khristo Botev in Bratislava, whose 25th anniversary we will commemorate today,” the President addressed his counterpart and said that thanks to the efforts of President Gasparovic the Bulgarian school in the capital of Slovakia has not been closed down.

“In 2013 we will commemorate 20 years since the diplomatic relations between the two countries were established. However, Bulgarians and Slovaks are united by a centuries-old cultural and spiritual heritage and an illustration of this fact is the mission of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius in Great Moravia,” President Plevneliev further added at the news conference.  On the occasion of 1150th anniversary of the Great Moravian mission and the 20th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Slovakia, Rosen Plevneliev and Ivan Gasparovic validated a unique stamp issue.  

In reply to a journalist’s question, Rosen Plevneliev reiterated that Bulgaria has met all criteria for joining the Schengen zone and the checks conducted by the European Commission have confirmed this fact more than once. “We hope a positive decision will be made as soon as possible,” the President said.

At a ceremony attended by Presidents  Plevneliev and Gasparovic, Agreements for cooperation in the sphere of sport between the Bulgarian Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Slovak Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports  and an agreement for cooperation between the University for National and World Economy and the Economy University in Bratislava were signed.
In Bratislava the Bulgarian Head of State also held meetings with Pavol Paska, speaker of the National Council of the Republic of Slovakia, and with Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Later during the day Rosen Plevneliev will meet representatives of the Bulgarian community in Slovakia and will hold talks with Milan Ftacnik, mayor of Bratislava.

On 6 November the Heads of State of Bulgaria and Slovakia will open a Slovak-Bulgarian business forum in Bratislava. In the town of Nitra President Rosen Plevneliev will lay a wreath at the monument of the holy brothers Cyril and Methodius. Rosen Plevneliev will also hold meetings with Milan Bjelica, mayor of Nitra and Josef Dvonch, district governor of Nitra, as well as with His Eminence Viliam Judak, bishop of the Nitra eparchy.