The European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Southeastern Europe opens up opportunities to strengthen the all-around partnership between Bulgaria and Croatia. This was the common position shared by the presidents of the two countries Rosen Plevneliev and Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who held talks today in Zagreb. The Bulgarian Head of State is the first president to visit Croatia officially at the invitation of President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, who took office in February 2015. The two were unanimous that the integration processes in the region have no alternative and are the basic driver for implementing the important reforms for the countries in the Western Balkan.
“The European project will not be complete until the Western Balkan countries join our family. This is the only way we can guarantee lasting stability and prosperity in the whole region,” President Rosen Plevneliev said. “Developing good-neighborly relations and following a European approach to shared national history is the guiding principle we adhere to,” the Head of State further emphasized and assured that Bulgaria would continue to offer its consistent support to the European integration of its neighbors. President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic voiced her gratitude for Bulgaria’s support for Croatia’s membership in the EU and NATO.
The accession to the Schengen border-free area is a priority for both Bulgaria and Croatia and the two countries will pool efforts to achieve this aim. President Plevneliev commented that Bulgaria’s and Romania’s Schengen entry was politicized in 2010, which was a mistake. The Head of State said that this temporary problem should soon be resolved since the accession criteria are purely technical, the two countries met them long ago, a fact that has more than once been recognized not only by the European Parliament, but also by the European Commission. In the President’s view, currently our country is guarding its borders with responsibility and is strictly fulfilling its commitments. The two presidents were unanimous that the increased migration pressure along the EU’s external borders requires European solidarity and sharing the burden among the individual member states.
According to the two presidents, “unleashing” the economic potential in Southeastern Europe and attracting more investments may be ensured only if all countries in the region pool efforts to this effect. The lack of good transport and energy connectivity is the major hindrance to speeding up the economic development in the Balkans. The Bulgarian Head of State called for pooling efforts and adopting a regional approach to the construction of a state-of-the-art transportation and energy infrastructure. In President Plevneliev’s view, the formation of a European Energy Union should start in the Balkans. “The establishment of a regional energy bourse will help to build an integrated energy market, overcome the dependence on a single supplier and will guarantee market prices of the energy resources,” the Bulgarian President said. Energy security can be ensured only if the electricity and gas networks are connected and if a system of inter-connectors is built. “Each of the countries in the region has the right to buy gas at a competitive price and to have access to alternative suppliers,” the President said.
As for the direct airline between Sofia and Zagreb, the President commented that work on this issue had been going on for a couple of years, and if business contacts and tourist exchange increase, it may soon be accomplished. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, for her part, said efforts were made to ensure direct airlines with the capitals of the South-European countries, in order to spare travelers the need to fly through Vienna, Munich or Rome.
The economic cooperation and the annual trade between Bulgaria and Croatia worth 140 million euros is below the two countries’ potential, Rosen Plevneliev and Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic highlighted. The two reiterated their readiness to further promote the direct contacts between the Bulgarian and Croatian business circles so as to implement joint projects. “I am sure that tomorrow’s business forum in the Croatian Chamber of Economy will create a good basis to build on in the following years,” President Plevneliev said.
It was further highlighted at the meeting that stimulating sectors with a high added value and encouraging innovations in the IT industry is among the priorities in the economic policies pursued by the two countries and ensures prospects for a successful cooperation between the companies from the two countries. Tourism is also a sector that has a potential for growth, opening up opportunities for joint tourist packages for third countries.
The changed security situation in the region requires an adequate response and Bulgaria and Croatia will continue to meet their commitments assumed within the framework of NATO, it was confirmed at the meeting between the two presidents. The risks to stability arising from the crises in Ukraine and the Middle East were also discussed.
The Head of State thanked President Grabar-Kitarovic for the good attitude Croatia shows to the Bulgarian national community, which is well-integrated and accepted in the Croatian society.
It was further pointed out at the meeting between the two presidents that the inter-cultural dialogue between the Bulgarian and Croatian people has been held for many centuries. Bishop Josip Strossmayer holds a special place in Bulgarian-Croatian relations as he has gone down in Bulgarian history as a champion of Slavic unity and a supporter of the Bulgarian cause for national liberation. “Thanks to his support, the collection of “Bulgarian folk songs” by the brothers Dimitar and Konstantin Miladinovi was published in Zagreb in 1861 and Bulgarian students received scholarships for Croatian schools,” President Plevneliev recalled. Currently more than 100 students study Bulgarian at the University of Zagreb.
Later during the day President Rosen Plevneliev will hold meetings with Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic and with Parliament Speaker Josip Leko.