site.btaSupport for Ukraine’s Recovery of Utmost Importance for Bulgaria, Says Economy Minister
It is extremely important for Bulgaria to support Ukraine on its path to recovery, said Thursday the caretaker Minister of Economy and Industry, Petko Nikolov. He was speaking at the opening of the public discussion ReBuild Ukraine organized by PanEuropa Bulgaria.
According to Nikolov, the relations between Ukraine and Bulgaria have developed in a spirit of trust over the years. It is no coincidence that foreign trade between the two countries has shown a growth in exchange which in the first six months of this year reached over USD 1 billion, he added.
“There is no doubt that since 2022, Bulgaria has been consistently supporting Ukraine. It is a fact that our country adopted the Joint Declaration of Support for Recovery and Reconstruction of Ukraine. It is very important for us to make efforts toward its long-term recovery, with a leading role in the European Union,” Nikolov further emphasized.
During the dialogue, the President of the Paneuropean Union in Ukraine, Ihor Zhaloba, said that most of the population thought there would be no full-scale aggression, at least because they are brothers with the Russians. However, there was an active part of Ukrainian society that believed they should take the initiative into their own hands, Zhaloba added. In his words, the state of Ukraine is not the president, but the citizens, who, like him, bear responsibility for the country. Zhaloba also shared the preparation he and his daughter went through before the war, as well as the tasks he had on the front line.
According to Colonel Vilis Tsurov, the Board Chair of the Association of the Officers in the Reserve “Atlantic”, this is one of the first forums in Bulgaria regarding the reconstruction of Ukraine.
PanEuropa Bulgaria President Gergana Passy added that in Bulgaria, the conversation about the recovery of Ukraine is missing, while it is taking place in other countries.
Former Defence Minister Todor Tagarev (June 2023 - April 2024) noted that it seems there is a balance on the front line, and it is likely that this will continue. Nevertheless, it is very difficult to predict the outcome of a war, he added. “Reflecting on which is the most likely scenario, I think one is that neither side will make much progress in the near future, while the other is reaching a ceasefire- but that would be difficult,” Tagarev said.
PanEuropa Bulgaria is a non-governmental, non-profit organization representing the principles and values of the International Pan-European Union, promoting the development of European integration and culture. Among its main goals are strengthening civil society in Bulgaria and reinforcing human connections within local communities across the country, according to the organization’s website.
/NZ/
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