site.btaBulgaria and Poland Concur NATO's Eastern Flank Should be Strengthened

Bulgaria and Poland Concur NATO's Eastern Flank Should be Strengthened

Sofia, April 18 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda have concurred that NATO's Eastern flank should be strengthened. "NATO should increase its military presence in the region. We consider this a priority," said Plevneliev after a joint news briefing with Polish President Duda who is paying an official visit to Bulgaria on Monday.

Defence and security cooperation and the upcoming NATO summit in Warsaw topped the agenda of talks.

The Bulgarian head of State said that the Warsaw summit is of historic significance to countries along NATO's Eastern flank and voiced a hope that it will contribute to greater collective security. Plevneliev said that Bulgaria has increased its defence expenditures and noted Poland's assistance in extending the life of Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jets.

For his part, Polish President Duda said that NATO should demonstrate cohesion, solidarity and responsibility with regards to security wherever there are problems. Duda said that such problems have been visible in Eastern Europe in recent years and that he and Plevneliev had concurred that NATO's Eastern flank should be strengthened.

The two heads of state underscored the importance of connectivity of Europe's energy and transport infrastructure. Plevneliev said that energy needs more cooperation and less geopolitics. "We rely on principles and not just on interests and these principles include transparency, security, connectivity, diversification and a common energy market," said the Bulgarian President. He noted the importance of building a European energy union, an initiative launched by Poland and supported by Bulgaria. Plevneliev thanked Poland for its support for Bulgaria's accession of Schengen, which had been reconfirmed on Monday.

Later, Polish President Duda met with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. Borissov said that Poland was a very valuable partner to Bulgaria and commended the development of bilateral relations within the context of European and Euro-Atlantic values. The two discussed defence and security cooperation. Borissov highlighted government efforts to modernize the Bulgarian armed forces and ensure the stable development of the country.

Borissov said that Bulgaria relies on Poland to continue to promote the two countries' common energy security interests at the level of the European Commission during the establishment of the European Energy Union.

The two took stock of the commercial exchange between Bulgaria and Poland and ways to develop it to its full potential.