site.btaBulgarian, Maltese Presidents Urge Greater Commitment to Countries Transited by Migrant Flows

Bulgarian, Maltese Presidents Urge Greater Commitment to Countries Transited by Migrant Flows

Sofia, April 5 (BTA) - The European Union should show a greater commitment to the problems faced by the countries transited by migrant flows and should offer them stronger support, Presidents Rosen Plevneliev of Bulgaria and Marie Louise Coleiro Preca of Malta concurred at a meeting in Sofia on Tuesday, the President's press secretariat said.

The two agreed that the EU should also step up its support for the settlement of the conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, and encourage economic growth in the migrants' countries of origin.

Plevneliev said: "It is important that the EU countries should prove they can unite and act in unison at a time of crisis. This is the only way we can regain confidence in united Europe."

The sides concurred that the subject of migrant flows should not be allowed to divide Europe and to be exploited by populist and xenophobic parties.

Dealing with migrant pressure, promoting economic growth and EU enlargement will be the focus of the upcoming stints in the EU's rotating presidency of Malta in 2017 and Bulgaria in 2018. The two countries will deepen their partnership in this respect, according to the two Presidents.

The Bulgarian President noted that support for the European perspective of the countries of the Western Balkans is important for the stability of both Southeastern Europe and the EU.

Plevneliev invited President Coleiro Preca to the meeting of the heads of State of the Arraiolos Group in Bulgaria in September.