site.btaPM Borissov Meets Montenegrin Counterpart Markovic

Sofia, Match 1 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov on Thursday met with visiting Montenegrin counterpart Dusko Markovic. Markovic will attend a meeting in Sofia between Western Balkan leaders and European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker, hosted by Borissov.

The two noted the good political dialogue and the intensely dynamic relations between Bulgarian and Montenegro as well as the main priority of the Bulgarian EU Presidency: the European perspective of the Western Balkans.

Prime Minister Borissov reaffirmed his readiness to continue to assist with the negotiations between the EU and Montenegro, adding that Montenegro sets a good example in the region. He called for the speeding up of key reforms in the political, economic and social life. NATO's membership is an important political capital as well as fully committing to the EU's Common Foreign Policy and Security Policy, said Borissov.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Markovic congratulated his Bulgarian counterpart and the Bulgarian government on the successful presidency of the EU Council and thanked Bulgaria for its efforts to put the Western Balkans on the EU agenda. He concurred with Borissov that along with the implementation of the EU membership criteria, key infrastructure projects on connectivity in the region should begin.

Borissov added that this topic is gaining momentum which was seen at the 2017 Trieste Summit, at a meeting with the World Bank Group in Sofia and the investment forum of the European Bank for Research and Development in London.