Vice President Iliana Iotova held talks in Budapest with the Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament, Laszlo Kover. The Vice President is visiting Hungary on the occasion of the Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship Day, which is being celebrated today. Laszlo Kover highlighted the traditionally good relations between the two countries and the two peoples and said that Hungary has such a celebration only with Bulgaria and Poland. He called for a deeper cooperation between the Hungarian and Bulgarian parliaments, as the last meeting between their presidents was in 2007.

 

The Vice President underlined the excellent bilateral cooperation at all levels, noting that Hungary is one of the biggest investors in Bulgaria. Iliana Iotova thanked the Hungarian state for its serious, consistent and very successful policy for different ethnic communities. One of the examples of successful results in our joint work is the construction of the Bulgarian Cultural and Educational Centre in Budapest, which is expected to be opened on the eve of 24 May next year, the Vice President said. The meeting between Iotova and Kover was attended by the Bulgarian advocate in the Hungarian Parliament Simeon Varga and Dancho Musev, Chairman of the Bulgarian Republican Self-Government.

 

The Bulgarian Vice President and the Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament discussed a number of European issues and bilateral contacts in a European context. Iotova thanked for Hungary's firm support for Bulgaria's Schengen membership, as well as for the protection of the Bulgarian-Turkish border. The Vice President described as unsatisfactory the EU-wide migration policy. For the ninth year now, the EU has been unable to solve the migration problem. Decisions are being taken that are unfair for countries on the EU's external border, such as Bulgaria, Iotova concluded.

 

There was a common position on double standards in the European Union and the development of a multi-speed Europe. This leads to the growth of Euroscepticism in European societies. On the eve of the European elections in 2024, we need to have a serious debate on what kind of Europe we want, the vice-president said.

 

Laszlo Kover raised with Iliana Iotova the issue of the increased transit fees for the transmission of natural gas through Bulgaria. He described this decision as an unexpected and unfriendly step, which seriously raises the issue of Hungary's energy security, and this on the eve of winter. Vice President Iotova recalled yesterday's strong reaction of Head of State Rumen Radev to the decision of the Bulgarian parliament and government. It is extremely important for the presidential institution that Bulgaria guarantees its own and Europe's energy security, Iliana Iotova said and recalled that in mid-September, in the presence of President Rumen Radev and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a memorandum of understanding and cooperation in the field of LNG supply and trade was signed between Bulgargas and MVM CEEnergy.

 

It is possible that the decision on the increased transit fees will have negative consequences for Bulgaria domestically, as well as violations related to Community legislation, Iotova said. She expressed hope that after a reasonable assessment and through talks, as befits two partner and friendly countries, the problems that have arisen can be resolved.