site.btaEuropean Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Jourova Confers with Deputy Prime Minister Zaharieva

Sofia, October 26 (BTA) - Deputy Prime Minister for Judicial Reform and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva conferred Thursday with European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality Vera Jourova, who is on a visit to Sofia, Zaharieva's Ministry said in a press release.

The two discussed the judicial reform, the progress under the Cooperation and Verification Mechanism, and the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency of the European Council.

Jourova assessed in positive terms the tabling of the question about the European perspective of the Western Balkans by the upcoming Bulgarian EU Presidency.

Zaharieva said that Bulgaria's stand is that a hand should be extended to these countries so that the efforts - in respect of investments but also in respect of the political progress - reach the ordinary people. "Otherwise, we will lose the Western Balkans for the European family," she said, noting that the six candidate countries from the Western Balkans should be considered on the merit of their individual achievements and not as a whole package. "The opposite de-motivates the advanced applicants, and does not benefit those who lag behind," Zaharieva said.

Jourova said that political debates on the Western Balkans are forthcoming at the European Council and the specific knowledge Bulgaria possesses on the matter is of key importance.