site.btaBulgaria Relies on Finland's Support to Cease Cooperation and Verification Mechanism - Parliament Chair Karayancheva

112 POLITICS - FINLAND - PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION - VISIT

Bulgaria Relies on Finland's Support to
Cease Cooperation and Verification
Mechanism - Parliament Chair Karayancheva


Helsinki, November 22 (BTA) - Bulgaria relies on Finland's support for ceasing the European Commission's Cooperation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), National Assembly Chair Tsveta Karayancheva said at a meeting with her Finnish counterpart Paula Risikko. Karayancheva is on a two-day official visit to Finland at the head of a parliamentary delegation, said Parliament's press office Thursday.

On the Bulgarian delegation are members of the Bulgaria-Finland Friendship Group.

Karayancheva informed her Finnish colleagues that Bulgaria strictly implements all recommendations in the European Commission's reports. In view of the success registered in the latest report for Bulgaria under the CVM, she underscored that this country relies on Finland to give its voice for ceasing the CVM. Karayancheva invited her Finnish counterpart to visit Bulgaria with colleagues and said she is ready to organize meetings with the parliamentary committees on legal affairs, interior security and public order, and budget and finances, at which the country's efforts on the concrete indicators of the CVM will be explained.

The National Assembly Chair underscored Bulgaria's position that the EU agreement with Turkey has effective results and the migrant pressure on the Bulgarian-Turkish border, which is also external for the Union, is almost nil now. This agreement is important for all European countries and that is why the efforts under it and for effective cooperation with Turkey should continue in the same direction, she added.

Karayancheva stressed that Bulgaria has long fulfilled all criteria for Schengen membership and that it is time it accedes to the common area.

Risikko congratulated the Bulgarian delegation on the successful Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council. Karayancheva expressed the hope that the subject of the connectivity, security and the European prospects before the countries in the Western Balkans can also become central to the Finnish priorities when that country takes over the Presidency in the second half of 2019.

The Bulgarian Parliament Chair highly commended the good bilateral relations with Finland, the constructive partnership within the EU and the partnership along NATO lines. The sides expressed confidence that the active dialogue will continue to develop and deepen in the interest of the two countries' common goals./LI/BR
/ДЛ/