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The policy of spheres of influence must remain in the past, the Head of State said at the international forum in Batumi

 

The policy of spheres of influence must remain in the past. The sovereignty and the democratic choice of the peoples of Georgia and Ukraine should be respected. This is what President Rosen Plevneliev said, who took part as a keynote speaker at the 12th international conference “Georgia’s European Way.” The forum is held in the Georgian town of Batumi at the Black Sea coast.

 

“Great powers have been playing with the region for centuries. Now it’s our own responsibility! To get together, to link, to connect, to cooperate, to produce, to trade, to live together and not to fight! We put regional stability and regional reconciliation above all,” the Bulgarian President called on for in his statement made at the prestigious forum.  

 

“Until recently most of us believed that peace and stability were deeply rooted in Europe. However, recent events have shown that this was just a dream. The crises in Ukraine and the Middle East changed the security situation and brought new threats to our regions. Bulgaria is deeply concerned with the overall security situation to the east of our borders and in the Black Sea region. Ongoing political and military actions are destabilizing the region and undermining the sovereignty of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova,” the Head of State emphasized.

  

The President reiterated that pursuing a policy of Great Powers and creating spheres of influence is a prerequisite for the existence of frozen conflicts and instability. “We have to ask ourselves: Do people in frozen conflicts areas - run by illegitimate groups and their weapons live better? Are they free, safe and prosperous? Who is going to invest in a frozen conflict area? Who is going to create jobs and infrastructure? If we think about the people and their right to live in peace and prosperity, we need to oppose the wrong and dangerous strategy of keeping regions, countries and nations unstable and dependent. Closing our eyes to this threat is not a sustainable political solution,” President Plevneliev warned.

 

The Head of State reconfirmed the commitment Bulgaria declared before Georgia’s political leadership to the country’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, and also to the Georgian people’s sovereign choice to work towards further Euro-Atlantic integration. “Bulgaria condemns the so called “Agreements” between the Russian Federation and Abkhazia and South Ossetia and has not and will not recognize them,” the President further highlighted and added that Bulgaria consistently supports Georgian membership in NATO and the Alliance “open door policy”. 

 

“Establishing closer political and economic cooperation between the EU and Georgia is the only way to guarantee the country’s security and prosperity,” Rosen Plevneliev was adamant and defined Georgia as “a successful example in the region of building democratic institutions and conducting economic reforms.” Bulgaria was among the first EU Member States that ratified the Association Agreement with its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area between Georgia and the EU. The Agreement creates considerable opportunities, further boosts the economic relations and will help to unlock their full potential. 

 

“People want stability, economic growth, open governance, and an efficient judicial system. Absence of the rule of law and free media is a phenomenon created by interest groups and oligarchs that profit from instability, corruption and disinformation. The only way out of this vicious circle is political will for reform that inspires people and motivates them to support policies for reform and development,” the Bulgarian President further said at the forum in Batumi. 

 

The Head of State’s official visit to Georgia will end with a meeting with the leadership of the Adzhar autonomous Republic. 

 

Statement by Head of State Iliana Iotova

For projects aimed at improving connectivity between Bulgaria and Turkiye must be viewed as a whole, to be successful, and within the context of closer cooperation in Southeastern Europe. This will bolster both economic development and security in the region, whose strategic importance is growing. This was stated by President Iliana Iotova at a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who is on a formal visit to Bulgaria.

Albulena Haxhiu expressed her gratitude to President Iotova for Bulgaria’s support on Kosovo’s path toward membership in NATO and the European Union.

Iliana Iotova raised the issue of depopulation in the area along the Bulgarian-Serbian border and highlighted the need for investment to counter the adverse demographic trend.