26.05.2018
In Kiev, where he is on a visit on invitation by President Petro Poroshenko, Prime Minister Boyko Borissov pronounced himself for peace and stability that would bring benefit and good to all nations.
"We have always been in favor of peace because it is the most holy thing. This is the magic word and that is why we put so much effort. We must do our best to preserve peace," the Bulgarian Prime Minister emphasized. He pointed out that the resolution of the crisis in Ukraine lies in all sides respecting the Minsk Treaties and expressed the expectation that through negotiations this could be achieved. Borissov confirmed that he considered the construction of infrastructure as an opportunity to achieve stability, economic growth, as well as to improve the incomes and lives of the people.
Ukraine takes an important place among the foreign policy priorities of Bulgaria. With your country, we have a relationship of friendship, based on the historical, cultural, linguistic, and religious closeness between our peoples and the presence of the largest Bulgarian ethnic community outside our country. This was pointed out by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who is the first Bulgarian government official to visit Ukraine in the past 14 years.
This period saw many changes take place, Bulgaria became a member of NATO and the EU, but relations between our peoples are stable because many historical periods and personalities that have influenced the development of both countries continue to connect us, Prime Minister Borissov said.
He reminded that the commitment of our country is also expressed in the funds allocated for education in Ukraine. So far, with Bulgarian assistance, 10 computer class rooms have been built for a total value of nearly 200 thousand euro. Two new foreign language class rooms are to be built at the "Ivan Franko" Lviv National University and the "Taras Shevchenko" Kyiv National University.
Borissov called for the unimpeded study of Bulgarian language, culture, and history by the Bulgarian community and pointed out that through its administration and institutions the Bulgarian state would continue to facilitate this process. He welcomed the Declaration on the Guarantee to Persons belonging to the Bulgarian National Minority Living on the Territory of Ukraine, signed at the end of April, the right to study their mother tongue and to study in their mother tongue and defined it as a confirmation of the intention of the Ukrainian side to guarantee the study of Bulgarian language in state-owned general education institutions.
The Bulgarian Prime Minister pointed out that a Joint Intergovernmental Commission session is expected in autumn that would examine the possibilities for cooperation between the universities of both countries and to support training in the field of higher education.
President Petro Poroshenko thanked Bulgaria for its position in support of the country's territorial integrity, as well as for the government's attitude to issues such as visa facilitation and economic ties with EU countries. He pointed out that he relies on Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Presidency to consider the EU initiative for the Eastern Partnership the same way it put the Western Balkans issue on the agenda. For us, connectivity and especially the construction of corridor № 4 is of crutial importance, Poroshenko said during the talks.
