NEWS

Rumen Radev: Europe cannot possibly buy its security

The meeting of President Rumen Radev with Miroslav Lajcak, president of the 72nd session  of the UN General Assembly, focused on the transformation of the European policy towards migrants and the need to channel EU support towards addressing the economic and social problems in the countries of origin of migration flows. Talking to Bulgarian journalists at the end of the meeting, the head of state pointed out that if the open-door policy towards migrants continues, it will require ever larger security and integration spending from EU member states to provide for the integration programs and guarantee their own security, and yet the problem will remain unresolved where it first arose.

"Regardless of how much money we spend, we will be unable to ensure complete security in Europe," Rumen Radev argued.

The head of state confirmed that he had invited US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to visit Bulgaria. "I expect that they will find the time to make such a visit amid their busy schedule", the president pointed out, adding that Bulgaria's strategic partnership with the United States was reaffirmed during US President Donald Trump's reception for the leaders of the delegations to the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly.

The head of state's talk with the Netherland's Prime Minister Mark Rutte focused on the judicial reform in Bulgaria and the country's aspirations to join the Schengen border-free area. The Dutch Prime Minister showed interest in Bulgaria's experience in dealing with the attempts at external interference in its elections and internal affairs. "During the mandate of the latest caretaker cabinet, a number of successful measures were taken to this effect", Rumen Radev recalled, stressing that Bulgaria expects the Dutch Foreign Minister to visit Bulgaria shortly and familiarize himself with the country's experience in preventing external influences.

Taking a journalist's question about the international support for the Global Pact for the Environment established upon the French President's initiative, Rumen Radev said the initiative has been welcomed by all countries. "It is bound to develop, we simply cannot retreat any longer. You see that even the United States admitted, after a series of hurricanes, that they cannot withdraw just like that and show no commitment to action taken to counter  climate change", the president pointed out.

Talking with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, the head of state made a review of Bulgaria's 25 years of cooperation with the financial institution and outlined the prospects of further development. In the president's words, Bulgaria expects the World Bank to provide expert advice rather than financial aid in order to make the country's economic and social development far more intensive.

During his working visit to the United States, President Rumen Radev also participated in the Bloomberg Global Business Forum, organized by Michael Bloomberg, with whom he exchanged opinions on political and financial matters. Later on, the Bulgarian head of state took part in an international conference on preventing the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, organized by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Theresa May.