site.btaForeign Ministers of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia Celebrate 20th Anniversary of NATO Membership

In a joint declaration on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the accession of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovenia to NATO, the foreign ministers of these countries stressed the importance and prospects of their membership in the organization, said the press centre of the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

"For us, Bulgarians, Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Romanians and Slovenians, NATO membership is a guarantee of stability and peace," said outgoing Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel. "We are proud to be members of the most powerful and successful military-political alliance in the world, which continues to protect the democratic values and security of its members," she added.

In the spirit of the upcoming NATO Washington Summit, the ministers expressed their readiness to strengthen and adapt the Alliance, supporting Ukraine's future membership and continuing to protect the interests and security of the Euro-Atlantic area.

In their statement, the ministers said that they stand ready to contribute to the strengthening and adaptation of the Alliance in the run-up to the anniversary summit in Washington, to continue to support Ukraine and its NATO future; to ensure that steps are taken towards Ukraine's accession to NATO; and to continue with the transformation of NATO and the defence of democratic values.

The ministers also affirmed their countries’ commitment to NATO's mission and are committed to continuing to contribute to security and stability in the region and around the world.