The future of united Europe requires a strong cultural presence and preserving the cultural identity of all EU member states. Europe will lose a lot if the cultural achievements of the European states are impaired as a result of globalization and the EU remains a space deprived of its spiritual traditions. This was the common stance shared by President Rumen Radev and Helene Carrere d’Encausse, Perpetual Secretary of the Academie Francaise, who held talks at 2 Dondukov street toady. The meeting was also attended by the French Ambassador to Bulgaria Eric Lebedel.

President Radev thanked Helene Carrere d’Encausse for her contribution to Bulgaria’s EU accession and the process of EU integration. “When Bulgaria needed friends and adherents, You were one of them with your loud voice,” Rumen Radev emphasized.   

The President called on the older EU member states to support the ambition of the East European countries to prove their economic and social potential. In the Head of State’s words, with its economic capacity and culture France can play a much more active role in the Balkans and in Bulgaria.

“Investor number 12 is certainly not the place France should hold in Bulgarian economy,” the President said and taking a question pertaining to the extent to which the public tenders in Bulgaria are achieving results, he added that the presidential institution will continue to work to improve the business climate in Bulgaria and to illuminate the economic processes in our country. “If we really want to be an integral part of Europe, we should follow the transparent European procedures and practices both in economy and in awarding public contracts,” the Head of State further said.