site.bta US Assistant Secretary of State Nuland Visits Bulgaria

US Assistant Secretary of  State Nuland Visits Bulgaria

Sofia, January 19 (BTA) - The strategic partnership between Bulgaria and the United States of America is of exceptional importance not only for this country, but for the region as well, said here on Tuesday President Rosen Plevneliev, who received US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland, the President's Press Secretariat reported.

Plevneliev voiced satisfaction that this strategic partnership was re-confirmed during US Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to Bulgaria last year. The successful functioning of the working groups for developing strategic dialogue in the fields of security and defence, energy security, supremacy of the law, education and cooperation between the people of Bulgaria and the US, was also noted. The newly created group for fighting terrorism has also started working.

The Bulgarian Head of State noted that the working groups have already led to concrete results, among which are the signing of the final investment decision for the construction of the intersystem gas connector with Greece and providing a cyclotron as part of the project for building a national cyclotron centre under the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

Plevneliev also noted that Bulgaria is implementing the readiness action plan, adopted at the NATO Wales Summit, and increasing defence spending. A decision was made during the Consultative Council for National Security to increase the defence budget to 1.19 per cent of GDP in 2015, 1.35 per cent in 2016, followed by a gradual increase to two per cent in 2024, the President said. He also noted the significance of the NATO Force Integration Unit, which was created in Sofia in September of 2015.

Being an active and reliable partner of NATO and the EU, Bulgaria is a factor for stability and a driving force of the integration processes in the Balkans, Plevneliev said.

Bulgaria highly values the role of the US initiative for guaranteeing the security of allies in Europe, including through joint trainings. Bulgaria and the US will deepen their cooperation in the field of cybersecurity as well, it transpired from the meeting.

Bilateral cooperation in energy security was also on the agenda. Both sides voiced hope that the construction and subsequent exploitation of the interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece will start as soon as possible. Plevneliev noted that Bulgaria supports the accelerated construction of the South and South-North gas corridors, as well as the creation of a regional energy exchange. The development of trade and economic ties and the attraction of more American investments in particular, was stressed as another key priority in bilateral relations.

Plevneliev and the US Assistant Secretary of State discussed the progress of key reforms for this country, with an emphasis placed on the judicial reform.

Earlier in the day, Nuland opened her visit to Bulgaria with a meeting with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.

The two described as a successful form of cooperation the established working groups for the development of the bilateral strategic dialogue in key spheres, such as security, energy diversification, rule of law and cultural relations, the Government Information Service said. The working groups were set up following the agreements achieved during the January 2015 visit of US Secretary of State John Kerry.

In the context of the world efforts to handle the migration crisis and security threats, Borissov and Nuland discussed the cooperation in the defence sector and highly assessed the interaction between the law enforcement bodies in the fight against terrorism.

Borissov said that the strong involvement of the public opinion and the government's political will are factors that are expected to lead to a true reform in the judicial system. It is aimed at providing effective and fair justice, at making the business and citizens feel on an equal footing with the State. "We have set two goals in the judicial reform: the important changes in the Constitution for strengthening the role of the Inspectorate [with the Supreme Judicial Council], the report of the Prosecutor General to the National Assembly, the division of the Supreme Judicial Council and others, as well as the tabling of five bills in Parliament on specific dates: the Judicial Power Act, the countercorruption bill, the two codes and the act on fighting terrorism," Borissov said.

Other key topics during the talks were economic cooperation and energy diversification. The Bulgarian PM informed his guest that the project for a Bulgaria-Greece gas interconnector has been launched and that his country has received support for the construction of the Balkan gas hub. In his words, these two projects, as well as the initiated exploration of natural gas in the Black Sea, will guarantee Bulgaria's energy independence and also increase opportunities for the diversification of gas sources and supply routes for а part of Europe.

Borissov raised the question about the existing visa regime for Bulgarian nationals, noting that this country is interested in preserving the prospects for broadening the US Visa Waiver Program.

Later, Nuland met with Defence Minister Nikolai Nenchev. On the agenda were issues of mutual interest related to enhancing cooperation between the two countries and within NATO. The two discussed capabilities to modernize the Bulgarian armed forces and the Air Force in particular, defence spending in view of commitments made after the NATO Wales Summit, the US security plan for Eastern Europe, Operation Atlantic Resolve and military cooperation in the Black Sea.