site.btaAustrian Federal Minister of European Affairs Gives High Mark to Bulgaria's Border Protection

Sofia, March 9 (BTA) - Austrian Federal Minister of European Affairs, Art, Culture and Media Gernot Bluemel, who payed a one-day working visit to Sofia on Friday, talked with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekatina Zaharieva. He told her that Bulgaria is handling excellently the protection of the EU's external border.

Bluemel congratulated Zaharieva on the professionalism with which Bulgarian diplomats are handling the Bulgarian EU Council Presidency. The Federal Minister of European Affairs is also in charge of the Austrian EU Presidency which rotates to Austria from Bulgaria in the second half of 2018.

Emerging from the meeting, Zaharieva told reporters that this was her second official meeting with Bluemel. "As part of the presidency trio, we are in constant contact and so are our teams, so that we can guarantee continuity in the achievement of our presidencies' priorities," she added.

Zaharieva went on to say that Bulgaria and Austria have a common position on the Western Balkans, which is that the countries in this region should be provided with a EU perspective. Bulgaria and Austria share the position that the defence of the EU's external borders should be a priority of the Union.

Bluemel said that once it assumes the EU Council Presidency, Austria will continue Bulgaria's line regarding the Western Balkans. He and Zaharieva agreed that the Brexit negotiating team of Michel Barnier is doing a great job by managing to represent the single will of the 27 Member States. Austria will strive to preserve this unity, just like the Bulgarian EU Presidency is doing, Bluemel noted.