site.btaPresident Radev, FM Zaharieva Discuss Three Seas Initiative with Diplomats

September 11 (BTA) - Meeting here Friday with the 12
Sofia-based ambassadors of the countries participating in the
Three Seas initiative, President Rumen Radev said that the
initiative must grow into a tool for real social and economic
cohesion in Europe. "The spirit of this cooperation platform is
to encourage connectivity and prosperity in the countries
between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas,"  said Radev.  

Vice President Iliana Iotova was also at the meeting, and the
diplomats were addressed by Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva
 as well.

Radev said that if Three Seas is to develop effectively and
fully, all countries should contribute to its investment fund,
which will finance joint regional projects. "Contributing to the
 fund will show that the participants appreciate the importance
of the platform and will be a strong sign for businesses and
investors in the region,"  he argued.

He pointed out that it is necessary to develop clear criteria
and rules for the priorities of Three Seas.

Also, he argued that as the initiative is focused on the future
of the region, it is important to get young people involved and
hear out their voice and ideas.

The Head of State and diplomats praised Estonia for hosting the
Three Seas initiative this year in the difficult conditions of
the pandemic and discussed the possibility of having Bulgaria
host it in 2021.

Speaking to the diplomats, Foreign Minister Zaharieva presented
the projects which Bulgaria has put forward for Three Seas:
reconstruction of the Rousse-Varna rail link, construction of a
tunnel at Petrohan Pass, expansion of the Chiren gas storage
facility and construction of a Black Sea motorway to link Varna
and Bourgas, the Foreign Ministry says.

Zaharieva is the national coordinator for the initiative.

She said that the importance of the Bulgarian projects hoes
beyond the national level and will influence the development of
the entire region.

She expressed regret that a high-level meeting for the
initiative which was going to be held in Tallinn, is now going
to be a video conference and that a business forum scheduled for
 the next day, has been cancelled. She added that there was huge
 interest in the forum among Bulgarian businesses.    

Estonian Ambassador Ingrid Kressel Vinciguerra presented the
priorities of the Estonian chairmanship of the initiative with
the focus on digital connectivity and efficient functioning of
the investment fund.

Three Seas is a political project of 12 countries of the EU from
 Central and Eastern Europe: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania,
Slovakia, and Slovenia. The aim is to enhance cooperation along
the north-south axis from the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic Sea and
 the Black Sea and the focus is on cooperation in trade and
economy, strengthening integration among the countries in the
region and improving the connectivity among them in the energy,
transport, communications, IT and business sectors. NV/RY/LN/



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