16.09.2023
More than one thousand business meetings between companies and projects in the pipeline of Bulgarian companies that operate in Greece or start partnerships in Greece are some of the results that Bulgaria’s presence at the Thessaloniki International Fair brought about. This year Bulgaria is an honored country participating in the largest trade exhibition in Greece. “We have shown Bulgaria’s new high-tech face. The country is seen as modern and attractive by our neighbors. This is a very good stepping stone for the upcoming talks between the governments of Greece and Bulgaria,” said Prime Minister Acad. Nikolai Denkov who arrived in Thessaloniki for the closing of the International Fair.
The excellent relations between Bulgaria and Greece at the political level are complemented by the great potential for cooperation at the economic level. The Bulgarian government’s ambition is to work hard to develop the South-North Corridor. We are talking about projects worth billions, therefore the first step is the planning, Acad. Nikolai Denkov said. The line ministries – of finance, of economy and industry and of transport and communications – will have as a priority their work to draw up projects that underlie the materialization of each initiative. Further specific details will be discussed at the upcoming Trilateral Meeting of the Prime Ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Greece next month in Varna.
Bulgaria and Greece have the potential to create jointly an energy and transport hub in South-Eastern Europe, whose importance will have both regional and pan-European dimension, Prime Minister Acad. Nikolai Denkov said in his speech at the Ioannis Vellidis Convention Center within the official closing part of the Thessaloniki International Fair. The Prime Minister highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership between Bulgaria and Greece. Appropriate examples are the gas interconnection and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Alexandroupolis where Bulgaria holds a 20 per cent stake. Bulgaria is also interested in the plans for the future development and management of the Greek ports Kavala and Alexandroupolis. In addition, the „Sea2Sea“ initiative is intended to connect the Bulgarian ports on the Black Sea and the River Danube with the Greek ports on the Aegean Sea by means of a modern transport, energy and communication infrastructure. Practically, this would be an alternative route to the Bosporus and the Dardanelles, Acad. Nikolai Denkov pointed out.
The Bulgarian Prime Minister availed of the occasion to send a strong message of solidarity with Greece because of the severe consequences of the floods in that country. The Prime Minister recalled that similarly Bulgaria was struck by a severe disaster that caused damage and took a toll of lives. Climate change is a global challenge that calls for a coordinated response. We need to engage in closer teamwork, to share information and technologies, to integrate our weather forecast and early warning systems to better prevent disasters in the future. I can assure you that we stand ready to engage in such win-win cooperation, Acad. Nikolai Denkov stated further.
