site.bta Bulgarian and Greek Ministers Meet

Bulgarian and Greek Ministers Meet

Sofia, August 1 (BTA) - Bulgarian and Greek ministers Monday held bilateral meetings during the third joint meeting of the two governments, known as the High-Level Cooperation Council.

Economy

Meeting with Greece's Economy, Development and Tourism Minister Georgios Stathakis, Bulgaria's Economy Minister Bozhidar Loukarski said that against the backdrop of developments in the Middle East and the region, Bulgarian-Greek economic and political relations should deepen.

Loukarski and Stathakis concurred that two-way trade could increase substantially. Stathakis noted there were large Greek investments in Bulgaria, and recently Bulgarian companies had been showing a growing interest in Greece. In his view, there are many untapped opportunities to develop tourism and infrastructure.

He also said the Greek government was sparing no effort to achieve economic growth, but the economy is affected by the crises in the region. Bulgaria and Greece are major pillars of regional stability and should become a stable axis in view of the challenges arising from the migrant wave and the developments in Turkey.

For his part, Loukarski stressed that political relations should deepen at central government level and suggested a visit to Athens involving a business delegation. He praised the excellent cooperation at local government level, especially between the regions of Southern Bulgaria and Northern Greece.

Stathakis said improvements in road infrastructure were being discussed to further deepen economic and tourism contacts between the two regions. Loukarski called for efforts at government level so as to avoid new border blockades by Greek farmers, which have an adverse economic effect on both countries. The Greek economy minister said the government would work to solve such problems in the future.

Two-way trade decreased by 6.9 per cent in January-March 2016 from a year earlier, with imports from Greece falling 8.2 per cent and Bulgarian exports declining by 5.8 per cent. In that period Greece was the fifth largest market for Bulgarian products with a 6.3 per cent share (after Germany, Italy, Romania and Turkey), and the sixth largest supplier with a 4.6 per cent share (after Germany, Italy, Russia, Romania and Turkey).

Data for 2015 compared to 2014 show a 1.4 per cent drop in two-way trade. Greek imports in Bulgaria decreased by 5.2 per cent, while Bulgarian exports to Greece grew 2 per cent. Bulgaria's trade surplus increased by 68.5 per cent from 2014.

Regional Development

Stathakis also met with Deputy Regional Development Minister Denitsa Nikolova. The two discussed ways to create conditions for the successful implementation of the Greece-Bulgaria Cross Border Cooperation Programme 2014-2020. They also talked about aspects of the programme's priority axes, including the scope of support for small and medium-sized enterprises and options for direct support; implementing joint strategic projects to minimize the risk of floods in the border area; and a joint project for opening a Roudozem-Xanthi border checkpoint.

Tourism

Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova and Stathakis signed a joint action programme in the area of tourism in 2016-2018. Before that the two had a one-to-one meeting, Angelkova's Ministry said in a press release. Angelkova and Stathakis agreed to continue the talks at expert level in September, with the purpose of preparing a memorandum with concrete topics and commitments for expanding the cooperation between the two ministries, including for exchange of experience for diversifying the tourist product and developing a joint tourist product for faraway markets with a focus on cultural and religious tourism.

Home Affairs

Bulgarian Interior Minister Roumyana Buchvarova and Greek Minister for Migration Policy Ioannis Mouzalas agreed on strengthening cross-border cooperation between the two countries, the press centre of the Interior Ministry said. The two ministers discussed specific lines of even closer cooperation in the guarding of the common border, restriction of illegal migration and smuggling and countering terrorism, strengthening of police presence in vulnerable points along the common border and organizing of joint border patrols as proven successful practice among others.

The Greek side hailed Buchvarova's proposal for establishing regular practice for drafting common positions on all-European matters. The two ministers identified the reform of the Dublin Regulation and the establishment of a uniform European system for readmission as priority spheres in this context.

Minister Mouzalas underscored that Greece fully supports Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area.

Labour and Social Affairs

Labour and Social Policy Minister Zornitsa Roussinova and Greek Labour, Social Insurance and Social Solidarity Minister Georgios Katrougalos discussed the possibilities for exchange of information about seasonal workers, Roussinova's Ministry said in a press release. Roussinova said that nearly 80,000 Bulgarians work seasonal jobs in Greece and that it would be good if bilateral initiatives are held before the start of the busy summer season that provide more information, both to the workers and also to the employers. Roussinova praised the steps Greece undertook in respect of Bulgarian pensioners. Katrougalos noted that the topic concerns Greek pensioners as well, adding that the changes that are being made improve the organization of the system and speed it up. Roussinova welcomed the initiative to organize a picnic for Bulgarian and Greek children with special needs or for children without parents. The two ministers agreed to work on a programme for deepening of bilateral cooperation.

Transport

Bulgaria's Transport, IT and Communications Minister Ivaylo Moskovski and Greece's Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Minister Christos Spirtzis agreed that a working group followed by a meeting between the ministers in September would speed up work on a project for a railway corridor between the Aegean ports of Kavala and Alexandroupolis and the Black Sea ports of Varna and Bourgas. The two ministers' next step will be to look into possibilities for EU financing.

The intermodal freight transport corridor between those ports, with a possible link to the Danubian port of Rousse, would be an alternative to transport through the Bosphorus. The project also includes logistic centres in Bourgas and Alexandroupolis.

The two ministers concurred that the Sea2Sea freight corridor would improve transport and economic contacts between the two countries.

Moskovski said the text of an agreement on cross-border railway traffic between Bulgaria and Greece was ready and had been sent to the European Commission.

Border blockades by Greek farmers and the resulting losses of Bulgarian businesses were also on the agenda.

Energy

"The possible gas transiting routes towards Europe cannot be successful without the participation of Bulgaria and Greece. It is important to aspire towards partnership by planning together the future of the gas sector in the following years," Deputy Prime Minister for EU Funds Tomislav Donchev said at a meeting with Greek Minister of Environment and Energy Panagiotis Skourletis cited by the Cabinet's press office.
Participating in the meeting were also Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova and Environment Minister Ivelina Vassileva.

The talks focused on the development of joint projects in the gas sector and the actions of Bulgaria and Greece for prevention of floodings and water management.

Donchev stressed that Bulgaria has already declared its political will to participate as partner in the building of a new liquefied gas terminal near Alexadroupolis. He voiced execrations that the Greek state participates in the project as a guarantee that it is a priority project for the two countries.

Petkova said that after the successful completion of the first stage of the market test within the project for the construction of the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector, the second stage is about to be launched next week. It involves submission of a binding offer for reserving capacity for the facility.

The Bulgarian side presented the progress on the development of a concept for the building of the Balkan gas hub in Bulgaria.

Foreign Affairs

Cooperation in economy, energy and migration policy were the focus of the talks between the two countries' foreign ministers - Daniel Mitov of Bulgaria and Nikolaos Kotzias of Greece. The two signed a Programme on Cooperation in Education, Science and Culture for 2016-2018.

The two ministers also discussed the promotion of bilateral cooperation and possibilities for boosting of bilateral contacts in all spheres.