site.btaTwo-day Conference of Bulgarian Ambassadors Abroad Discusses Situation amid Pandemic

September 1 (BTA) - Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign 
Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva Tuesday addressed a traditional 
ambassadorial conference of the heads of Bulgarian missions 
abroad. Calling for the adoption of uniform criteria for control
  of EU inner borders amid the coronavirus pandemic, she asked 
for the ambassadors to work on this project, the Foreign 
Ministry said. Bulgaria plans to initiate a debate in the EU on
 having EU-wide criteria for border controls, said the top 
diplomat.

She pointed out that the drafting of such criteria is a key task
  adding that they should be clear for all citizens and
business.  The EU has managed to introduce criteria for third
countries,  Zaharieva said.

Bulgaria will make its proposal official, with a letter, by the
 end of the week, she said adding that otherwise people and the
 economies will face unpredictability.

Zaharieva expressed satisfaction that the EU is launching a 
debate about how Europe should increase its sovereignty and 
independence. She specified that what is meant is increasing 
strategic independence with the opportunities to resolve crises
 primarily in Europe.

The Austrian Federal Minister for European and International 
Affairs, Alexander Schallenberg, joined the opening of the forum
  by video conference as a guest of honour.

Shallenberg commended Bulgaria's role in keeping the EU focus on
  integration of the Western Balkans and Bulgaria's contribution
  to the Europpean integration of the Republic of North
Macedonia  and Albania. He also noted the positive role of the 
Goodnеighbourliness Treaty between Bulgaria and North Macedonia.

The consequences of the Covid-19 crisis are in the focus of this
  year's ambassadorial conference. Participating in the forum
are  71 Bulgarian ambassadors. This is the first time it has
been  organized by video conference, the Foreign Ministry said.

In his remarks to the Bulgarian ambassadors, Prime Minister
Boyko Borissov spoke of the importance of unity for a nation.
"Those which have unity, will be the first to recover from the
crisis. The others will go into deep political crises and will
be unable to make fast and adequate measures."

Borissov also said that Bulgaria was the first to set in place a
 lockdown and the first to ease it, and commented that "so far
this is paying back well".

He spoke of the significance of Bulgaria's entry in the euro
zone waiting room. "There is huge resistence to this that we
need to withstand," he added, referring to the opposition of
some in Bulgaria to this country's aspiration to join the euro
zone.
 
Deputy Prime Minister Mariana Nikolova also joined the forum to
discuss with the diplomats ways to advertise Bulgaria as a
tourist destination.

In his remarks at the forum, Economy Minister Luchezar Borissov
said that the crisis is sure to affect Bulgaria's economic
relations but it will also bring new opportunities for Bulgarian
 businesses and Bulgaria as a nearshoring destination for
European businesses, which are already looking for ways to
shorten the supply chains.

Borissov said that admission to the OECD and participation in
the Three Seas initiative are key external economic priorities
for this country. BR/NV/RY/LN

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