This week in Sofia, Bulgaria and Greece held the first joint session of their cabinets of an European type. The prime ministers of the two countries, Boyko Borissov and Georgios Papandreou, signed a declaration for the establishment of High-level Cooperation Council. The Greek PM Papandreou called this act a precedent on the Balkans, and described the success achieved by the two countries as a powerful message to all countries in the region as well as a prerequisite for stability in the Balkans and in Europe at large. The two prime ministers signed 12 documents for cooperation in almost all economic sectors – transport, energy, agriculture, foods, ecology, tourism, security, education, culture, labor conditions, etc. Bulgaria’s PM Boyko Borissov said that these documents provided a framework and an opportunity for an improved functioning of the business and tourist sectors in both countries.
“Today we put the beginning of the high level cooperation council, which is an already popular scheme for EU partnership. We want to hold such meetings regularly”, Greek PM Papandreou stated following the session. “After Bulgaria’s accession to NATO and the EU, our countries are no longer divided by borders and we face very bright prospects of bilateral cooperation. Many long-standing problems were also solved during today’s meeting, and many important issues in the financial, economic and commercial cooperation, transport, and countering crime and corruption were also discussed. We believe that this meeting will considerably enrich our bilateral cooperation. And this is also the will of the Bulgarian and Greek people.”
The number of Greek companies in Bulgaria is some 1,500 to date. Since 1992, Greece has invested in the country a total of 2.8 billion euro. The commodity turnover for 2009 was estimated at 1.9 billion euro, Georgios Papandreou announced. In his opinion, renewable energy sources are a strategic choice in Bulgaria’s energy policy, with a special focus being given to wind power. He stated that Greece and Bulgaria have reached an agreement that they will cooperate in the management of the waters of three rivers flowing across the territory of the two neighboring countries, i.e. Maritsa, Struma and Mesta, and that early warning systems are to be constructed to prevent floods. In his turn, Bulgaria’s PM Boyko Borissov described Papandreou as one of the most experienced European prime ministers who adheres to good traditions in Greek-Bulgarian bilateral relations. For this reason, during debates in Brussels, Bulgaria was the country that most strongly approved of granting financial assistance to Greece for stabilizing its poor state budget, he underlined. Another item in the bilateral discussions was the construction of the future Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline. Bulgarian politicians confirmed their position that they would like first to receive the environmental impact assessment report for this project, PM Borissov stated.
“I would like to express my gratitude to my colleague Papandreou and to his team of ministers for understanding our concerns for Bulgaria’s environmental protection and that of the Burgas region”, he added. “The project for the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline has not been delayed due to some kind of obstinacy or failure to meet our obligations under a signed contract, but because environmental protection is the most important goal of all. So, we are now waiting for the international report with the environmental impact assessment of the project.”
In his turn, the Greek PM Papandreou pointed out that the Greek interest in the project remains steady, but Athens understands the apprehensions of the Bulgarian partners and is also awaiting the environmental report. PM Borissov announced that he offered to his Greek counterpart that Greece might participate with a minority share in Belene NPP project. The two prime ministers expressed their contentment that the assessment of the recently held test of EU’s bank system has proven that Bulgarian and Greek banks are stable, and this guarantees both the functioning of businesses and the deposits of ordinary citizens.
“We support Bulgaria, PM Borissov and the Bulgarian people in their bid Schengen area entry in 2011”, Georgios Papandreou also stated. “Bulgaria will also receive the joint support of each of the other countries in this area in order to overcome obstacles. This is very important to Greece because thus the movement of goods and markets will become easier.”
Bulgaria’s PM Boyko Borissov also expressed his opinion on Bulgaria’s future entry into the Schengen space.
“If we are accepted in Schengen next year, then we will be able to go together to the Makaza region in the southeast and open a new border checkpoint there”, Borissov added. “In September 9, this year, we mark 130 anniversary since the start of Bulgarian-Greek diplomatic relations. Then, we could go to nearby Ivailovgrad and celebrate together the anniversary by opening a new border checkpoint and a new road between our countries. It is true that now we place barriers and customs control booths at these checkpoints. But I hope that within only a few months’ time, when we join the Schengen area, we will be happy to remove them all”, Bulgaria’s PM Boyko Borissov said in conclusion.
English version: Rossitsa Petcova
