site.btaPresident Radev Confers with US Secretary of State Blinken by Telephone

June 11 (BTA) - President Rumen Radev spoke by telephone
with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Radev's Press
Secretariat reported here on Friday.

The conversation, held on Blinken's initiative, focused on the
strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the US, the sanctions
 imposed under the Global Magnitsky Act against Bulgarian
natural persons and companies, cooperation in security and
defence, recovery after the coronavirus pandemic and the
Republic of North Macedonia's European integration.

President Radev described the sanctions imposed under the Global
 Magnitsky Act as a strong sign of support for the Bulgarian
citizens' efforts at reinforcing democracy, justice and
transparency. Blinken is quoted as saying that this is the US's
contribution to the fight against corruption, as well as a
reinforcement of democracy and encouraging to the potential of
Bulgarian economy.

President Radev has valued highly the bilateral partnership in
defence, urging for enhancing industrial cooperation in this
field. The long-lasting partnership in modernizing the Bulgarian
 Army was underscored as well, including through the
introduction of modern military training models. The US
Secretary of State has noted Bulgaria's contribution to the NATO
 2030 strategy.

Radev underscored during the conversation Bulgaria's ambitions
to use EU funds under the Recovery and Resilience Plan to
decisively modernize this country, calling for increase of US
investments in areas with high added value, such as information
technology, science and education.

The European perspective of Albania and the Republic of North
Macedonia was also discussed. Blinken expressed expectations
that the European integration process of Bulgaria's southwestern
 neighbour will be sped up. The two have agreed that this is in
the interest of the region's and Europe's stability and
security. Radev has recalled Bulgaria's consistent support for
the Republic of North Macedonia's EU membership, calling for
achieving sustainable and irreversible results when it comes to
building goodneighbourly relations, as well as for the strict
observance of the Copenhagen criteria, which will accelerate the
 process of the EU's adoption of a negotiating framework for
North Macedonia. RY/MY