NEWS

Southeastern Europe will be Stable and will Prosper Economically Only When the Process of European Integration is Completed

The region of Southeastern Europe will achieve lasting stability and will realize its economic potential only when the process of European integration is completed and Serbia and the other Western Balkan countries join the EU. This is what President Rosen Plevneliev said, who held talks at 2 Dondukov street today with the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Maja Gojkovich. The Head of State said that Bulgaria will continue to be a well-intentioned partner for implementing Serbia’s European prospects and is ready to share its experience in the process. “We know what harsh and responsible reforms Serbia is facing and we are ready to support you so that you can successfully go down your European road,” the President emphasized.

Rosen Plevneliev called on the Bulgarian and Serbian Foreign Ministries to conclude the negotiations on signing a bilateral good-neighborliness agreement as soon as possible. In the Head of State’s words, this is a working instrument in support of regional stability, which will encourage not only bilateral trade, but also mutual investments. “Neither Bulgaria, nor Serbia, taken separately, can be attractive for foreign investors. Only together can the Balkan countries guarantee stability in the region and be recognized as a market,” the President said. Rosen Plevneliev once again called on the countries from the region to pool efforts to build a common energy bourse, which will ensure market prices of the natural gas supplies and will enhance the competitiveness of their economies.

At the invitation of President Tomislav Nikolic, the Bulgarian Head of State will visit Serbia and the regions inhabited by the Bulgarian national minority, it emerged at the talks. Rosen Plevneliev recalled that he has been assured more than once that the problem related to publishing textbooks in Bulgarian language for our compatriots in Serbia is yet to be solved and Bulgaria expects this to happen soon. “We have excellent relations and a real friendship with Serbia and we should make sure that such a problem does not exist,” the Head of State said.

Rosen Plevneliev voiced his support for institutionalizing the trilateral format of cooperation between Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania (the Craiova group) and also for expanding the cooperation with respect to the parliamentary institutions of the three countries.

The two shared the opinion that the stronger migration pressure towards Europe requires that the European countries act together, as well as pooling efforts to ease the tension and to ensure ceasefire in the Middle East and North Africa. One of the routes of the asylum-seekers to Europe passes through Serbia and 600,000 people have passed through the country so far. Maja Gojkovich assured that 90 percent of these migrants have been registered and thanked for the financial aid provided by the EU.