site.btaBulgarian PM Borissov Holds Bilateral Meetings with Western Balkans Counterparts

Sofia, May 18 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov held bilateral meetings with leaders of five Western Balkan countries after the opening of the Vienna Economic Forum - Sofia Talks 2018 here on Friday, the Government Information Service said.

Prime Ministers Ana Brnabic of Serbia, Edi Rama of Albania, Ramush Haradinaj of Kosovo, Zoran Zaev of Macedonia and Dusko Markovic of Montenegro were unanimous that at Thursday's Summit, the EU leaders gave their countries' strong support to the European perspective of the Western Balkans.

The prime ministers thanked Bulgaria for the efforts and Borissov for his personal commitment to raise the long-delayed question of the Western Balkans. A positive assessment was given at the talks to the results of the Summit, and the Sofia Declaration was described as a fine basis and prerequisite for the irreversibility of the countries' European path, the press release said.

The Borissov-Brnabic talks focused on the significance and effects of the implementation of the Balkan connectivity projects. It was pointed out that the new infrastructure, the transport corridors and good digital connectivity are essential for the six countries of the region as well as for the development of the entire continent.

Opportunities for the implementation of the projects were also on the agenda of the discussion with Haradinaj. Borissov emphasized that connectivity, a well-functioning economy and an improvement of people's living standards will bring peace to the region. "Calm in the Balkans is exceedingly important for Europe, and we all must work for understanding among the separate peoples," the Bulgarian head of government said. He noted that there are no small and large countries in the Balkans and what matters most is to increase the GDP of the entire region. "That's the criterion under which our performance is judged," he added. "Bulgaria is an example to us, and we are following what you are doing," Haradinaj said.

At a meeting between Borissov and Zaev, it was pointed out that the Good-neighbourliness Treaty that Bulgaria and Macedonia signed last year has invigorated the interest and the process of building confidence in the region, the Government Information Service said.