12.07.2017
The preparation for membership in the EU of the countries from the Western Balkans will be one of the priorities of the Bulgarian Presidency, when in the beginning of next year the country takes over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. We are currently strongly committed with this process because within Europe no empty spaces can be left, we will use the opportunities of the Presidency so as to support to a higher degree the preparation of the candidate states and I hope to also help the member states and European institutions with our knowledge about the processes on the Balkans. This was said by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov in front of the leaders from the Berlin Process, who held their 4th summit in Trieste. The Bulgarian Prime Minister participated in a plenary dinner that summarized the discussions from the meeting on the personal invitation from his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni, host of the event.
Prime Minister Borissov was cordially greeted by Prime Minister Gentiloni as a special guest, whose help it will be relied on during the upcoming Presidency.
In his speech in front of the leaders, Borissov put the focus on the connectivity among the countries from the Western Balkans that strive for membership in the EU and the rest of the countries on the continent. According to him, connectivity will not only contribute to the development of economic ties but also to building trust among the countries and their people. According to Borissov, the Western Balkans should be supported mostly abiding by the logic of the North-South axis. He noted the extreme importance of including Corridor Nr. 8 in the Berlin Process, connecting by highways and railways Sofia and Skopje. “Connecting infrastructure will really give a new perspective for the development of the Balkans,” underlined Borissov.
