site.btaSpeaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic Vondracek Meets with PM Borissov, Parliament Chair, President

Sofia, June 28 (BTA) - Prime Minister Boyko Borissov met with Radek Vondracek, the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, who arrived on an official visit at the invitation of the Bulgarian Parliament on Thursday. The two discussed progress on the key dossiers on the EU agenda during the Bulgarian Presidency.

Borissov acquainted Vondracek with the Bulgarian position on the issue of migration. He said that Bulgaria has shown successfully how it protects its external borders and how it tackles the migrant wave.

He said he would insist on a consensus between all member states on how to deal with the refugee flows.

Borissov reiterated his position on the matter of migration: that urgent measures need to be taken to close EU's external borders and strict controls applied over people who enter, including at the internal borders; that centres for refugees should be set up outside Europe to review asylum application and select those who are in need of protection; and that migrants who have already arrived in Europe should be reviewed either.

Later Vondracek met with National Assembly Chair Tsveta Karayancheva. The sides discussed the future of the European Union, the European perspective of the Western Balkans, EU's multinational financial framework, the Cohesion Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and the migration issue.

"We specified out common themes - a stable and consolidated Europe, a Europe of 27 equally developed European countries and not of two speeds. We reached agreement on the multiannual financial framework, the development of the Cohesion Policy and Support of the Common Agricultural Policy," Karayancheva told a news briefing in Parliament.

"For me it was very important that the Czech Republic supports the priority of the Bulgarian EU Presidency, the development of the Western Balkans," she said.

She noted a need for good cooperation between the parliamentary friendship groups and committees.

Vondracek said that the meeting was friendly. "We reaffirmed that our two countries are working in the same direction and have similar views on the Cohesion Policy, the Common Agricultural Policy, a Europe of 27 and not of two speeds," he said.

According to him setting different speeds is a step in the wrong direction. He added that one of the key issues at the moment is migration and that Bulgarian and the Czech Republic share similar views.

Meeting with the Czech delegation, President Rumen Radev said, as quoted by his press office, that the two countries share common positions on a number of key issues from the EU agenda, including the need to reform the EU policy on migration.

Radev and Vondracek expressed their support for restoring the tourist exchange between the two countries.

The Bulgarian President also expressed a wish to see Bulgaria follow the Czech example in industrialization and a stregthening of mutual investment.

He also pointed out the good cooperation between Bulgaria and the Visegrad group of countries on a number of issues from the EU agenda.

The two countries' prospects for joining the euro zone was also discussed.

Vondracek said that Bulgaria and the Czech Republic are close partners and mutual support is very important. He stressed his country's interest in strengthening bilateral economic relations. He also declared the support of the Czech Republic for the Bulgarian position on the importance of the EU cohesion policy as vital for the development of the EU member states.