site.btaAtaka Leader Siderov Confers with Crimea's Head Aksyonov

Sofia/Yalta, April 21 (BTA) - Ataka leader Volen Siderov conferred with the Head of the Republic of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov, during the large economic forum held in Yalta, Ataka said in a press release Saturday.

Siderov and Aksyonov discussed the development of tourism, future economic relations and promised each other to keep in touch, Siderov's party reported.

The Ataka leader took part in a discussion about EU-Russia during the forum, and said that Bulgaria has the wonderful opportunity to be a mediator between the EU and Russia, because it currently presides over the Council of the EU.

According to Siderov, his party's participation in the Government coalition is showing results, as an example of which he gave Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's recent decision not to expel Russian diplomats over the Skripal case. If a different coalition was governing Bulgaria, maybe its relations with Russia might have also been different, Siderov commented. The Ataka leader said he is optimistic about the future because after the European Parliament elections he expects a bigger presence of patriotic and conservative parties in Europe, which will be able to impact their governments.

Speaking to his party's Alfa TV channel, Siderov said that sabre-rattling cannot scare Russia, while US President Donald Trump must find the balance within himself. "It is clear that the big powers will never start being fond of each other, but they must manage to agree, like Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill did after WWII," Siderov said, adding that President Trump should get out of the lobbies' snare. Otherwise he will fall behind other world leaders, he said, adding that even German Chancellor Angela Merkel has started to understand what the right path is.

Conservatism is rising in Europe, which is part of Eurasia, and its relations with Russia must be normalized again. All other options are absurd and cannot last long, Siderov said.

He and three Ataka MPs attended the forum at the invitation of the organizers. Upon arriving in Yalta Siderov said:  "It is important that such international meetings be held in Crimea, for that is how it becomes clear that Crimea is not annexed or occupied," Siderov said. "Ataka had observers here at the 2014 referendum and we saw that the people truly wanted it." he added.