site.btaSofia Hails Timely Adoption of Enlargement Package by EC

Sofia, April 17 (BTA) - The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry Tuesday hailed what it called "the timely adoption" of the annual Enlargement Package by the European Commission. It is a set of seven individual reports assessing the implementation of the EU enlargement policy in respect to the Western Balkan countries and Turkey. "These documents are extremely important for the successful accomplishment of the goal of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council in respect to the Western Balkans: to make tangible steps towards European integration," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The statement says that Bulgaria is "particularly satisfied with the recommendation for opening accession talks with Macedonia and Albania". "Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, the government and the Bulgarian diplomatic service worked hard for this in the recent months," the statement goes.

The Foreign Ministry expresses support for the conclusions and recommendations of the European Commission, and the reconfirmed guiding principles in the enlargement policy: merit-based progress and a focus on rule of law and economic development.

"We are happy to see the appreciation of the importance of goodneighbourly relations and the Treaty of Friendship, Good-neighbourliness and Cooperation between Bulgaria and Macedonia," the statement says.

The Ministry says that based on these reports Bulgaria will submit draft conclusions of the Council reconfirming the significance of the enlargement policy as a key instrument for peace, stability, prosperity and profound societal transformation in the candidate countries and the potential candidates for membership.

The conclusions are to be adopted in June by the General Affairs Council.

Before that, the EU leaders will consider how they could help the Western Balkan countries step up the reforms and strengthen their ties with the EU through additional initiatives: for enhancing rule of law, security and migration, for socio-economic development, for transport and energy connectivity, for the digital agenda and goodneighbourly relations.