site.btaPresidents of Bulgaria, Italy Stress Need of Common European Policy on Migration

Presidents of Bulgaria, Italy Stress Need of Common European Policy on Migration

Sofia, September 13 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev conferred here on Tuesday with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella, who is on an official visit to Bulgaria. The two share the opinion that there is a need for a common European policy regarding migration, as well as that there is no other sustainable and working solution to the migration crisis than the all-European one.

On Wednesday the two presidents will participate in the 12th Arraiolos meeting in Plovdiv (Southern Bulgaria), hosted by Bulgaria.

The migrant wave concerns each EU member state and, therefore, the whole Union should be committed to resolving this problem, President Plevneliev said at a joint news conference with Mattarella. A lasting and efficient solution to the problems within the source-countries of migration, Syria, Iran and Afghanistan, should be sought. "We should be proactive, seek sustainable solutions and not only react to the consequences," President Plevneliev said.

A phenomenon, such as the migration, can be addressed only through joint, coordinated and systematic action by the EU, the Italian President said. He noted the importance of making investments in the source-countries of migration, so that their internal problems could be resolved. He recalled that Italy has proposed and the European Commission has accepted to adopt an investment plan for those countries.

Plevneliev noted that the South Gas Corridor is a strategic priority together with building the inter-system gas connectors with neighbouring countries, adding that this is the only opportunity for Southeast Europe to improve its energy security in the short run. He also noted the importance of bilateral cooperation with Italy in the energy sector and thanked Italy for supporting the construction of Transport Corridor 8. Bulgaria is involved in the expedited construction of stages of this Corridor, he said, expressing his ambition that the Bulgarian part of the Corridor will be ready by 2020.

President Mattarella voiced Italy's support for Bulgaria's Schengen accession.

The two presidents have set out new measures and ideas for enhancing cooperation between the Bulgarian and Italian security systems, as well as on security matters within NATO, the global anti-terrorism coalition and starting an ambitious approach towards a new European defence initiative, Plevneliev said.

Commenting the UK's referendum on leaving the EU, Plevneliev said that the EU must demonstrate unity and pragmatism and continue forward regarding all matters on the agenda, despite the new challenge. He said that starting new integration projects is beneficial during such times. His Italian counterpart noted that the importance of enlarging the EU towards the Western Balkans must be stressed even more after the British referendum.

Opportunities to promote bilateral trade, economic and investment cooperation were the other topics on the agenda of the two heads of state.