site.btaBulgaria, Greece, Romania, Croatia FMs: Tirana, Skopje should Start EU Accession Talks

New York/Sofia, September 25 (BTA) - The foreign ministers of Bulgaria, Ekaterina Zaharieva, of Greece, Nikos Dendias, of Romania, Ramona Nikole Manescu, and of Croatia, Gordan Grlic Radman, expressed their adamant support for the accession of Albania and North Macedonia to the European Union. They agreed on this position оn the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Session which is underway in New York, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry reported Wednesday.

The four top diplomats of the EU Balkan countries reviewed the European integration of their six neighboring countries not yet in the Union and outlined the sensitive issues involving the reforms of each country and how they could be supported.

Zaharieva expressed the joint conviction of her colleagues and herself that their countries would be more secure, prosperous and richer only if all neighboring states become members of the European Union. Greece helped Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia in the period of accession and it is now time that they support their six Western Balkan neighbors. Zaharieva also thanked Romania and Croatia for their continuity of the priorities of the Bulgarian EU Council Presidency.

"Bulgaria has signed a Friendship Agreement with the Republic of North Macedonia and that has to be implemented. Albania has to apply the legislation it has passed. Bulgaria supports the launch of negotiations for membership with both countries," Zaharieva said.

Nikos Dendias said that Greece is coming out of a ten-year crisis and that his country had been turned inward, but now it will resume commitment to Balkan and European themes. He congratulated Bulgaria on its successful EU Council Presidency.

Ramona Manescu, in turn, said that Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Croatia should continue to coordinate their actions in the accession policy. "We should support our neighbors and continue the commitment with which Bulgaria headed this process during its Presidency. The division of Albania and the Republic of North Macedonia would be a great mistake and I think the time for a positive signal has come," she added.

Gordan Grlic Radman expressed the joint desire that all countries in the region should live as good neighbors./DS/BR//