site.btaParliament Chair Karayancheva: EU Perspective of Western Balkans Remains Bulgaria's Key Priority

114 POLITICS - PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION - MONTENEGRO - VISIT

Parliament Chair Karayancheva:
EU Perspective of Western Balkans
Remains Bulgaria's Key Priority


Podgoritsa/Sofia, October 8 (BTA) - National Assembly Chair Tsveta Karayancheva Monday said that tranquility in the Balkans means tranquility for Europe, and that is why the European perspective of the Western Balkan countries will remain a key priority of Bulgaria's foreign policy. Montenegro is a good example to the countries in the region with its efforts to continue on its path to EU integration, she added. Karayancheva was speaking at a meeting with her Montenegrin counterpart Ivan Brajovic in Podgoritsa, the Bulgarian National Assembly said in a press release.

A Bulgarian parliamentary delegation, headed by Karayancheva, is paying an official visit to Montenegro. On the delegation are the chairman of the Bulgaria-Montenegro Friendship Group, Peter Petrov, his deputies, and members of the group.

Karayancheva told Brajovic that 2025 is an ambitious but achievable date for Montenegro's accession to the EU. In her words, this requires decisive reforms in key areas of the country's political, economic and public life. She assured her host that Bulgaria will continue to assist Montenegro in the accession negotiations, including through expert assistance by Bulgaria's Parliament in the harmonizing of Montenegrin legislation with EU law. Montenegro has its strong lobby in the EU in the person of Bulgaria, Karayancheva underscored.

Brajovic thanked his Bulgarian counterpart for the help with which her country provides Montenegro on its path to the EU. "We highly appreciate that Bulgaria returned the topic of the Western Balkans' EU integration to Europe's agenda," he said and expressed confidence that together Bulgaria and Montenegro can keep the focus on this topic.

Karayancheva noted that Montenegro's entry in NATO is an excellent capital on its path to the EU and a success for the whole region, because it contributes to the Balkans' security and stability.

She reconfirmed Bulgaria's commitment to the implementation of the projects for connecting transport corridors from Turkey and Greece through Bulgaria with those of the Western Balkans and, in particular, the Adriatic-Ionian motorway. "The implementation of these projects requires a lot of work but it will ensure Western European countries' link to Asia, and our region can benefit a lot from this," Karayancheva argued.

The two parliamentary heads listed the energy sector, tourism and agriculture as key areas where the existing bilateral cooperation can be broadened.

Meeting with Montenegrin Prime Minister Dusko Markovic later on Monday, Karayancheva recalled the significance for each Western Balkan country of the EU-Western Balkans Summit held in Sofia during the Bulgarian EU Council Presidency. She thanked Markovic for his beneficial participation in this important forum.

The Montenegrin Prime Minister said that his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov was the individual who managed to unite disunited Europe on the topic of the Western Balkans' EU integration. In his words, the messages of the historic EU-Western Balkans Summit have been received very well by all and have given Montenegro an even more decisive incentive to continue with the reforms on its path to the EU. Montenegro can serve as a good example to the countries in the region for political will to conduct the reforms necessary for EU membership, he added.

The Bulgarian Parliament Chair said that the good bilateral cooperation and Montenegro's consistent progress in its European and Euro-Atlantic integration offer opportunities for broader bilateral contacts in many new areas. According to her, there is untapped potential for broader business contacts in the energy sector, infrastructure, tourism, and agriculture. PM Borissov's idea for mutual usage of the underwater power cable to connect Montenegro and Italy, would deepen the bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, Karayancheva noted.

Also on Monday, Karayancheva laid a wreath at the Monument to the Partisan Fighters.

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