Bulgarian PM Leads Government Delegation in Alexandroupolis for Joint Meeting with Greek Cabinet
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov leads a government delegation in Greece for the fourth meeting of the Council for High-level Cooperation between the governments of Bulgaria and Greece. Arriving in Alexandroupolis on Wednesday, Borissov was welcomed by Greek Foreign Minister Nikolaos Dendias.
This is the first intergovernmental meeting since Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis took office in July 2019.
The two prime ministers held one-to-one talks before the start of the meeting of the Council for High-level Cooperation. Borissov and Mitsotakis discussed the expansion of the trade and economic relations and the growing commercial exchange between the two neighbouring countries which increased by 9.3 per cent in January-October 2019 compared to the like period in 2018, and reached nearly three billion euros. Greece is one of the top five investors in Bulgaria, with investments in banking, telecommunications, metallurgy, textiles, and construction.
The two prime ministers also discussed the creation of a railway connecting Thessaloniki, Kavala, Alexandroupolis, Bourgas, Varna and Rousse, and the construction of the infrastructure for the future Roudozem-Xanthi border checkpoint.
Borissov welcomed the political will for the implementation of bilateral and regional energy projects, such as the gas interconnector between the two countries and the terminal for liquefied natural gas in Alexandroupolis.
Borissov and Mitsotakis also discussed the cooperation in the efforts against climate change, and the need for a more ambitious budget of the EU for 2021-2027.
The meeting of the Council for High-level Cooperation will discuss projects of mutual interest, and review the joint priorities aimed at achieving higher economic growth, connectivity, stability and security in the region, the information service of the Bulgarian government said in a press release.
In 2020 the two neighbouring countries mark the 140th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations and want to serve as a successful example how to overcome historical layers and build trust and partnership on the spirit of shared European and Euro-Atlatnic values, says the press release.
On the Bulgarian delegation are Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, Defence Minister Krassimir Karakachanov, Finance Minister Vladislav Goranov, Interior Minister Mladen Marinov, Transport, IT and Communications Minister Rossen Zhelyazkov, Energy Minister Temenouzhka Petkova, Economy Minister Emil Karanikolov, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Petya Avramova, Culture Minister Boil Banov, and Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova.
Source: BTA