site.btaPrime Minister Borissov Urges Balkan Political Elites to Rise above History

Dubrovnik, Croatia, June 30 (BTA) - Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov attended a meeting of heads of state and government of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), which was held in Dubrovnik on Friday. During his visit to the Croatian city, Borissov was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva and the Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council in 2018, Liliyana Pavlova.

The Bulgarian government's press office quoted Borissov as telling journalists: "The fact that Bulgaria will preside over the EU Council for six months does not mean that we can do everything we want. We can move a long way forward if the political elite in each country aspiring to join the Euro-Atlantic structures rises above history."

He further said: "Our Balkan nations are European nations, but the people need to have a perspective instead of just arguing which king was whose king. This may be important to historians, but what can be more important than to move forward and let our nations prosper?".

Borissov said he had told the Dubrovnik summit that NATO and EU membership starts with a change of mentality. He noted: "It is a Balkan habit to think about how much money we can get, and when. If possible, the money should come right away, so we can become like Switzerland overnight. This kind of mentality must change. This is not how it is done in the European Union - the first thing they want is to see the values, to see the reforms, to see the freedom of speech, the freedom of movement, the fight against crime and corruption. Only then can we raise the question of acceding - with the cohesion funds, the Berlin Process and all that."

According to the Bulgarian Prime Minister, the fresh wounds from the conflicts in the Balkans are hampering the process of integration and development in the region. As an example, he cited the argument about which country should take over the SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office after Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. "It ought to be Kosovo. So I urged [Serbian President] Vucic to agree. How can we talk about NATO and the EU when we cannot settle on a simple chairmanship?", he exclaimed.

Borissov also underscored the importance of the Balkans' economic development. He recalled the Bulgarian proverb: "Self-help is the way to get God's help," and noted that the Dubrovnik Charter issued by Tsar Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria in 1230 created conditions for the development of trade between Bulgaria and Croatia back in the Middle Ages. "We should make the GDP of the Balkans equal to that of the Benelux countries, and then everyone will want to be with us," he said. Stressing the significance of infrastructure projects, he remarked that while Bulgaria is building infrastructure links with Turkey, Serbia and Greece, the western part of the peninsula does not seem to consider it a priority.

In the sidelines of the Dubrovnik summit, Borissov talked separately with Presidents Hashim Thaci of Kosovo and Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia. The sides discussed bilateral economic ties and the building of good neighbourly relations among the Balkan countries.

Earlier in the day, Borissov and Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Frankovic unveiled a memorial plaque to Tsar Ivan Asen II's Dubrovnik Charter in the Croatian city. The plaque symbolizes the historic ties between Bulgaria and Croatia and pays tribute to the ancestors.

Addressing the ceremony, Borissov pointed out that friendship between the two countries is deeply rooted in history, and their partnership now continues to make successful progress in the Balkans and in the European Union. He described the Dubrovnik Charter as an important source about the history of commercial links.

"I am convinced that in the EU and NATO, we all together in the Balkans will now stop talking about conflicts but will consider ways to promote business, to increase people's income and improve their life," the Prime Minister also said.

The Dubrovnik Charter was issued by the chancellery of Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Asen II (reigned 1218 - 1241) circa 1230 and granted Dubrovnik merchants the privilege of unimpeded access and free trade across the Bulgarian lands.

The document, written in Middle Bulgarian in black letters on a sheet of paper sized 240 by 134 mm, consists of 13 lines, the last one being the royal titulature in red, "Asen Tsar of the Bulgarians and Greeks". It was discovered in 1817 in Dubrovnik's archives by Russian Vice Consul Gagich. The charter was taken to Russia and is now kept at the library of the Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Saint Petersburg.