The head of State Rumen Radev honoured the President of the Hellenic Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, with the Stara planina order with ribbon for her services to the development of bilateral relations

 

The strategic partnership between Bulgaria and Greece is based on mutual trust and understanding and is a factor for regional stability as well as an example for Southeast Europe. This was the common position of Presidents Rumen Radev and Katerina Sakellaropoulou, who held a meeting today in Sofia. The President of the Hellenic Republic is on a state visit to this country at the invitation of the Bulgarian head of State.

 

Historically, the relations between Bulgaria and Greece have never been at a better level, Radev said and highlighted the active cooperation in various fields such as economy, energy, culture and tourism. In the last three years alone, trade between Bulgaria and Greece has grown by over EUR 1 billion to reach EUR 4.5 billion. 

 

Improving energy connectivity and avoiding a shortage of energy resources in the region is key to overcoming the negative impacts of the war in Ukraine, was the common position at the meeting. Both Radev and Sakellaropoulou pointed to the need to significantly improve regional connectivity and ensure reliable supply chains of energy resources to bridle the inflation. They highlighted the importance of the IGB gas interconnector, which contributes to the real diversification of natural gas supplies not only for Bulgaria but also for Central and Eastern Europe. 

 

Radev underlined this country's interest in the construction of the liquefied gas terminal in Alexandroupolis, in which this country has acquired 20% of the shares, within the envisaged timeframe in order to be able to use the LNG terminal from 2023. In the future, this country is also interested in the implementation of the project for the establishment of an oil pipeline connecting Alexandroupolis with Burgas for crude oil supplies, as well as in participating in the process of managing some of the ports through which energy resources are transported, Rumen Radev further said. 

 

The successful bilateral partnership in education and science was also highlighted during the talks. More than 3,500 Greek students are studying in Bulgaria while many Bulgarian students choose to receive their higher education in Greece. President Radev stressed that Bulgaria can use Greece's experience in building large data storage and processing centres, which is a factor not only for the modernisation of the country, but also creates a qualitatively new business environment in the region. The transfer, storage and processing of large amounts of information is an important area in the strategic partnership between Bulgaria and Greece, Radev said.  

 

The good bilateral partnership within the European Union was also discussed. Bulgaria and Greece guard together the longest land border of the EU in the way of migration flows and expect solidarity from their European partners, was the common position of the two presidents. Rumen Radev expressed appreciation for Greece's principled and consistent support for Bulgaria's Schengen membership. Bulgaria has met all the technical criteria for Schengen membership and does not accept additional conditions to be continuously set, the President stressed. In his words, the sooner Bulgaria joins the Schengen area, the sooner forces and resources will be redirected from the borders with Greece and Romania to guarding the EU's external borders. 

 

Our call is that before raising borders and barriers in Europe, we should realise the need to support the countries that guard the external borders and guarantee the security of all EU countries, the head of State further stressed. He added that it is illogical in the conditions of an economic and social crisis for Bulgaria and Romania to remain outside the Schengen area, which leads to a loss of economic opportunities not only for the Bulgarian economy, but also for the whole region. The Bulgarian President appealed that when the state leaderships of the Netherlands and Austria discuss Bulgaria's accession to Schengen, they should follow the example of the businesses in their countries, which have already trusted Bulgaria and are the biggest investors in the Bulgarian economy. 

 

The Head of State Rumen Radev welcomed the Greek President in St Alexander Nevsky Square with an official ceremony. The two held a one-to-one session and chaired plenary talks between the official delegations. At a ceremony, the head of State honoured the Greek President with the Stara planina order with ribbon for her services to the development of bilateral relations.