site.btaUPDATED Greek Prime Minister: Athens, Sofia and Bucharest Face Current Issues with Common Positions

Athens, Sofia and Bucharest face all current issues with common positions, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at a press conference after the trilateral meeting Bulgaria - Greece - Romania, which took place on Monday at the Euxinograd residence near Varna.

“Our meeting is overshadowed by the terrorist attack on Israel,” Mitsotakis noted, adding that all of Europe and the entire civilized world condemn the horrific pictures coming from this region.

“We recognize the right of the State of Israel to defend itself,” the Greek Prime Minister pointed out.

Mitsotakis said that the meeting underlined the excellent relations between the countries and their desire to deepen cooperation.

“With the European Union's support, our countries are setting an example of cooperation for the benefit of all peoples in our region,” he stressed.

Mitsotakis also welcomed the European Commission's representatives, Vice President Margaritis Schinas and Transport Commissioner Adina Valean.

He said that the crucial importance of cooperation within NATO and the development of the oil pipeline project between Bulgaria and Greece was discussed at the trilateral meeting.

“Greece has the ambition to play a central role in energy connectivity between our countries. Since last year, Greece has quadrupled natural gas exports to our northern neighbours,” the Greek Prime Minister noted. “The IGB pipeline is one year old and we are also transporting fuels to Moldova, thus guaranteeing energy security for the whole of South-East Europe. The floating storage and regasification terminal in Alexandroupolis will be opened soon, we continue to invest in renewable energy sources and we want to turn the whole region into a hub of international connectivity and green energy transmission,” Mitsotakis added.

He pointed out that in order to realize the energy vision of the region, the countries' power grids need to be developed.

Mitsotakis welcomed EU's initiative for a new rail line linking the Baltic, Black and Aegean Seas and described it as a proof of how the three countries can cooperate in such major projects and can make more use of European resources for projects that contribute to the whole European region.

He noted that Greece had recently joined the Three Seas Initiative and that it could now be called Four Seas as it includes the Aegean Sea.

Mitsotakis said that Greece supports the entry of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area for two reasons - because it supports the compliance with European rules without discrimination and because Greece also has its own economic interest in the Bulgaria and Romania’s accession.

The Greek Prime Minister expressed his wish that the next trilateral meeting Bulgaria - Greece - Romania be held in Alexandroupolis.