Bulgaria is working steadily for the prosperity of Southeast Europe, the most significant is our country's role in the diversification of energy sources, the European integration of the Western Balkans and infrastructure. This was stated by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov in his speech during the XXXIV high-level meeting of the International Center “Nizami Gandzhevi“, which is taking place in New York.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the exceptional geographical position of our country determines the strategic goals of transforming it into a logistical and economic center for Southeast Europe. “Together with our partners, we are actively working to expand and complete the road and rail infrastructure, energy and digital connectivity, because it is connectivity that will increase the region's resilience to challenges in the context of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine“, said Zhelyazkov. He particularly highlighted the importance of the timely completion of the Pan-European Corridor VIII, connecting the Adriatic with the Black Sea, not only for the prosperity of the region, but also as a key logistical route along NATO's southern flank. “The construction of the vertical axes connecting Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania is also strategically important for our country and we are working on their construction as a priority“, explained the Prime Minister.
As a member of the EU and NATO, Bulgaria is a conduit between Western institutions and Southeast Europe in the security sector. “We host multinational NATO forces, participate in joint exercises and contribute to regional defense initiatives. We have a key role in border and migration management, especially after our full Schengen membership“, the Prime Minister emphasized.
Rosen Zhelyazkov noted Bulgaria's leading role in energy sector diversification and gave as an example the completion of the Greece-Bulgaria interconnection, which reduced dependence on Russian gas and at the same time strengthened regional energy security. At the same time, the vertical gas corridor allows for the supply of natural gas to almost all countries in Southeastern Europe.
“Our commitment to the European integration of the Western Balkans is unwavering. Bulgaria has consistently advocated for the accession of our neighbors to the EU – not as a favor, but as a necessity for regional cohesion. For this process to be successful, candidate countries must implement the necessary reforms in a sustainable and irreversible manner, and the merit-based approach must remain valid, said the Prime Minister.