site.btaPresident Radev to Propose New Priorities for Three Seas Initiative

October 19 (BTA Special Correspondent Asen Boyadjiev) -
 Bulgarian President Rumen Radev Monday arrived on an official
visit to Estonia for participation in the Three Seas Initiative
Virtual Summit, hosted by President Kersti Kaljulaidat.
Approached by journalists, the Bulgarian head of State said he
plans to propose new priorities for the Initiative which would
benefit from the inclusion of educational and scientific
connectivity as a priority.

During the forum, Radev will take over from Estonia as the
hosting leader of the Initiative.

In his words, the Three Seas Initiative involves countries with
similar historical heritage and with similar problems to be
faced in the future, and it is only normal and logical to invest
 together in this future. "The main purpose of the Initiative is
 to develop energy, transport, and digital connectivity, but I
don't think that our ambitions should be limited to that.
Therefore, when I take over as the hosting leader of the
Initiative for 2021, I intend to propose new priorities," the
President told the media.

"You can't be preoccupied with laying pipes and asphalt because
there is more to the future than that. Infrastructure is
important, but the economy of the future requires investing in
science and education connectivity, capacity building,
connecting young researcher teams, organizations, and
universities. Infrastructure connectivity is not an end in
itself, it is rather a means to the major end: high, sustainable
 economic growth and living standards approximating that of
industrialized European countries, based on an accelerated
transition to a green and digital economy. This cannot be
achieved by asphalt and pipes alone," Radev pointed out.
    
Talking about another important priority he intends to propose,
the Bulgarian head of State said that the Three Seas Initiative
should already look beyond the region's borders. A broader
geographical scope would give Bulgaria a new prospect and a
better position, because this country is not interested in
remaining in the geographical periphery and having the
infrastructural, energy and digital routes end at Bulgaria's
border, he argued. These should continue also towards Bulgaria's
 partners, he added. "Therefore, Greece and Cyprus are a natural
 continuation of the Initiative, given what passes along the
Bulgarian-Greek border and the significant gas deposits with
which Cyprus could join. I have already held talks lately with
the leaders of these countries, and they would gladly respond to
 such an invitation, which I intend to send to them," Radev
said.

Asked to comment on the criticism that the Three Seas Initiative
 is part of the US' ways to strengthen its influence in the EU,
Radev said: "Do you see anything wrong with having the Black Sea
 Motorway and the Via Carpathia Motorway, which passes from
Vidin down to the Greek border, finished sooner? Do you see
anything wrong with finishing the tunnel under the Petrohan Pass
 sooner and with external resources? We all benefit from this,
we all benefit from real diversification, from being able to
choose energy suppliers at the best prices possible."

Asked about the resources accumulated in the Three Seas
Intuitive Investment Fund and what Bulgaria's contribution to it
 is, Radev said that Poland already has a more solid
contribution, around 500 million euro, but for Bulgaria and the
other participating countries the minimum contribution for now
is 20 million euro. The US has committed to an investment of 1
billion dollars, provided all countries contribute to the Fund,
he added. This money is critically little given all projects for
 infrastructural development, but resources are yet to be
sought, Radev noted.

Estonian President Kaljulaidat, current hosting leader of the
Three Seas Initiative, said that the Virtual Summit will focus
on the Investment Fund, smart connectivity and the use of
technologies to the benefit of transport and energy connections.
 He did not take questions before the start of the Virtual
Summit.
   
President Radev will be in Estonia until October 21.

RI/DS