site.btaGerman President Steinmeier Pays Official Visit to Bulgaria

April 4 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev Thursday
met with his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is
making an official two-day visit to Bulgaria.

Speaking at a joint news conference after the meeting, Radev
said the two had discussed the prospects for a strategic German
investment in Bulgaria.

Asked if Volkswagen is likely to open a plant in Bulgaria,
Steinmeier was non-specific but said that Germany has a strong
interest in building closer political, cultural and economic
relations with Bulgaria. Radev said the two countries'
successful economic partnership gives sufficient grounds to
believe that Bulgaria is able, ready and worthy of having a
strategic investor with closed-cycle production. He assured the
German President that all Bulgarian institutions are ready to
join their efforts and offer the best opportunities and a safe
environment for such an investment.

Radev called Steinmeier "a close friend with a personal
contribution to the development of bilateral relations" and
noted his contribution to the resolution of the Libyan trial of
Bulgarian nurses.

Five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor were detained in
1999 and sentenced to death by a Libyan court in December 2006
on charges of intentionally infecting some 400 Libyan children
with the HIV virus. The six were released and returned home in
July 2007 thanks to diplomatic efforts.

The Bulgarian President also noted that the two nations have
always been close, regardless of the challenges of history.

Two heads of State were very pleased that Germany is Bulgaria's
largest trading partner, with trade in 2018 exceeding 8 billion
euro. Radev expressed a hope that the upturn in trade would
continue, stressing the importance of sizable German investments
 and a strong business presence in Bulgaria.

Radev also noted that Germany's contribution to the development
of dual education is strongly appreciated in Bulgaria, and
emphasized the two countries' excellent relations in education,
science, culture and tourism. The two presidents also discussed
the importance of cooperation in judicial reform, internal
security, the state administration and the protection of the
EU's external borders.

Radev noted Bulgaria's wish to deepen cooperation with Germany
as a NATO ally. The European Defence Fund also offers
cooperation opportunities where Bulgaria has the ambition to be
more than a beneficiary. It wants to integrate its defence
industry and military science in German-led joint European
projects.

The two presidents discussed the internal and external
challenges to the EU and the resolve to work together for a
united, secure, prosperous Europe.

Radev praised highly Germany's role as a factor of contacts and
balance between the countries of Western and Eastern Europe,
contributing to the faster and better convergence and catch-up
development of the East European countries. He stressed that for
 its part, Bulgaria plays an increasingly important role in
guaranteeing the Western Balkans' stability, security,
connectivity and prosperity.

The two heads of State also discussed the major energy
infrastructure projects: the diversification of gas routes and
sources and the direct relevance of those projects to Europe's
security and competitiveness.

Radev stressed that Bulgaria will continue to rely on Germany's
support for its accession to Schengen, the euro zone and the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

He commented that contacts among people are the most valuable
part of bilateral relations: there are more than 300,000
Bulgarians who live, study and work in Germany and a growing
number of Germans who live and work in Bulgaria, acting as a
live bridge between the two countries and peoples.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said relations between
the two countries had never been closer or more intense, adding
that there are data showing that this also applies to economic
relations. He described Bulgaria as an important investment
destination for the German industry.

Talking about Bulgaria's position in the EU, Steinmeier noted
that during its EU Council Presidency in 2018, this country
showed that it is not just a stabilizing factor in European
cooperation but that it has important neighbours. He mentioned
Bulgaria's expertise on certain topics.

The two heads of State also discussed Brexit. The German
President believes Britain should stay in the EU where it has a
unique contribution, but right now the EU is not in a position
to predict what will happen.

For his part, Radev stressed that the top priority is to protect
 the UK citizens' rights in Bulgaria and the Bulgarians' rights
in the UK. He spoke about the crucial importance of a single EU
position on Brexit, adding that the UK's withdrawal should not
be allowed to block Europe's ability to make timely, important
and joint decisions.

Visiting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier conferred with
 Prime Minister Boyko Borissov during a working lunch at the
Lozenets Residence here on Thursday, the Government's
information service reported. The two discussed bilateral trade
and economic relations, as well as issues related to security,
migration and the European agenda. Borissov noted the beneficial
 cooperation between the two countries on matters of mutual
interest, stressing the excellent bilateral political dialogue.

The topic of security was emphasized during the meeting.
Borissov noted that Bulgaria successfully meets its commitment
to protect the EU's external border. "Without much noise and
while observing the European norms and goodneighbourly relations
 with Turkey, Bulgaria has brought the migration flow down to
zero," Borissov said. According to the Bulgarian Prime Minister,
 a sustainable common European mechanism is needed to address
the issues related to migration.

Bulgaria is a stabilizing factor for the region, the German
President said, commenting this country's economic role.
Borissov in turn noted Bulgaria's good financial performance and
 exceptional financial discipline, which has led to it being
among the three countries in Europe with the lowest external
debt. The Bulgarian Prime Minister noted that Bulgaria's
external debt has dropped from 28 per cent of GDP to the current
 20 per cent of GDP, since his last meeting with the German
President back in 2017. Borissov also noted that given the
stable tax policy, economic environment and a huge fiscal
reserve, foreign investors, including German ones, have a good
economic foundation for doing business in Bulgaria.

The Prime Minister noted that trade between Bulgaria and Germany
 exceeded 8 billion euro in 2018, which is an increase of over
eight per cent since the previous year. He also stressed the
fact that Germany is once again among the top foreign investors
in Bulgaria, with investments of 3.219 billion euro between 1996
 and 2018.
German investments added up to 153.7 million euro in 2018 alone.
 According to data of the InvestBulgaria Agency, around 30 per
cent of the top 100 largest investors in Bulgaria are either
German or with German participation.

President Steinmeier also met with National Assembly Chairperson
 Tsveta Karayancheva, who noted that in 2019 the two countries
are marking the 140th anniversary of establishing diplomatic
relations. She stressed they have always had excellent contacts,
 and expressed a hope that cooperation will continue in various
fields, including justice, public order and migration. German
investments support the Bulgarian economy and help reduce
unemployment, Karayancheva said.  The number of German tourists
in Bulgaria is increasing, which is a sign of the quality of
tourist services, she said.

The German President said he would never forget his visit to
Bulgaria on January 1, 2007, when he felt the Bulgarians'
emotions on joining the EU. He thanked Bulgaria for its EU
Council Presidency, which took place amid serious challenges.
IG/DD/MY  






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