site.btaPM Borissov Meets with Bulgarian Ambassadors, Stresses Importance of Connectivity in Balkans

Sofia, July 19 (BTA) - The Presidency of the Council of the EU is a type of coordination between the 27 Member States and a process that must delve into the problems each one of them has. The EU Presidency is not governing the EU, but offers chances, especially concerning the priorities of the Balkans in this case, which have been on the agenda for years, said here on Wednesday Prime Minister Boyko Borissov during the opening of the traditional annual meeting with Bulgarian ambassadors.

Borissov said that each and every country from the Balkans must have an infrastructural outlet towards every other country from the region, so that it can "open up" in all directions and not be encapsulated. He noted the development of the projects for Corridor 8.

For many of the colleagues from the EU candidate countries it is becoming clear that their people are in Europe, that they must be given a perspective and that the political leaders must find the necessary consensus, so they do not impede their countries' progress, Borissov commented. The Balkans are a small market, but Brexit is a huge opportunity for EU enlargement, he added..

Commenting the EU energy policies, Borissov said that Bulgaria is the most loyal member of the community, sometimes even to the point of stupidity. A very profitable European project for Bulgaria, on which a lot of money was spent - the Nabucco pipeline, was scrapped without an explanation. Bulgaria's diversification with Azeri natural gas cannot happen without it, he went on to say.

"You must have your head buried in the sand if you don't realize that the moment Turkish Stream is completed and natural gas starts flowing through it, the transit through Bulgaria will stop and then we become just a client," the Prime Minister commented. "This is why I am thankful to the European Commission for their understanding that we must keep our strategic place, while observing all the rules," he added.

Commenting Brexit, Borissov said that this country's main goal is to retain Bulgarians' rights and opportunities in Britain. The most intensive and difficult talks will fall during Bulgaria's EU Presidency, he said, adding that there is a lot of work and difficult decisions ahead.