The President of the Bulgarian parliament Dimitar Glavchev and his Greek counterpart Nikolaos Voutsis discussed in Sofia the relations between the two countries, problems requiring common solutions, the multi-modal transport corridor connecting Ruse with Thessaloniki and the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The talks represented another step in high-level communication between Bulgaria and Greece.

Central to the talks was the creation of the so-called Balkan Group, which includes Bulgaria, Greece and Romania within the framework of the EU. The prospect of the Western Balkans’ EU accession will be one of the highlights of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU, and the three member states of the Union can act as a bridge to other countries of the region, helping them to meet accession criteria.

As problems that require common solutions, the two officials highlighted the economic and refugee crisis, the issues of stability and security, economic development, but also social cohesion. They agreed that there should not be a multi-speeded Europe and that the requirements and regulations of the Union must apply equally to all.

"The historical situation in which Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the EU is very important," the President of the Hellenic Parliament said, “as the debate on the future of Europe is at its peak. In the 6 months from January to June 2018, European politicians will have to answer the questions whether they will consolidate the EU and whether it will continue to exist."

Nikolaos Voutsis assured his Bulgarian counterpart that Bulgaria could rely on the support of Greece which has a long-standing experience as an EU member state. Bulgaria’s Presidency of the Council of Europe is a way to make the voices of the Balkan states heard and thus promote their potential to become a pole of stability of EU borders. Emblematic for bilateral cooperation are the infrastructure projects for the improvement of transport and communications, among which the most important one at present is the multimodal transport corridor between the Danube ports and the Black and Aegean Seas.

Regarding bilateral relations, Dimitar Glavchev stressed that Bulgaria and Greece have a mode of very good understanding both at the level of governments and at the level of nations, and Nikolaos Voutsis in turn thanked for the hospitality of Bulgaria to Greek university students, entrepreneurs and workers, as well as for the excellent work of Greek Philology tutors at Bulgarian universities, who build bridges for cultural exchange and communication between the two countries.

English Daniela Konstantinova