site.bta Patriotic Front Issues Declaration against Turkish Prime Minister's Visit

Patriotic Front Issues Declaration against Turkish Prime Minister's Visit

Sofia, December 18 (BTA) - The Patriotic Front (PF) has issued a declaration against the recent visit to Bulgaria by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

PF co-chairman Krassimir Karakachanov said in Parliament on Friday: "Mr Davutoglu is not an ordinary prime minister of Turkey and I see no call for the fanfare welcome given him by various circles traditionally praising all anti-Bulgarian events."

Karakachanov, who is the leader of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization, said that while Davutoglu was foreign minister and now when he is Prime Minister, Turkish schools use maps in which Southern Bulgaria is part of Turkey, and part of the Balkans are part of Turkey.

Being a Member State on the EU's external border, Bulgaria should be nationally responsible and pragmatic. "Should we wait for someone in Brussels or Berlin to tell us what wise policy means for Bulgaria?" Karakachanov said.

He recalled that the Patriotic Front's condition for supporting the government is that if Turkey's EU membership is put on the agenda, Bulgaria will hold a referendum. "We are against any concessions regarding Turkey's EU membership." he said.

"Given the crisis in Russian-Turkish relations, Bulgaria should quickly rethink its visa policy and consider how nationals of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus can be issued visas quickly, and perhaps free of charge, the way Italy has already done," Karakachanov said. Bulgarian tourism will bring revenues of 500 or 600 million euro if 10 per cent of Russian tourists are attracted.

"Why don't we raise again the issue of Bulgarian energy projects? Opportunities are also opening up for agriculture and the food industry," said Karakachanov. The government should be quick to tap opportunities for boosting the Bulgarian economy as they emerge and for increasing revenues.