NEWS

Rumen Radev: Bulgaria Supports Montenegro's European Perspective because with the Reforms It Is Implementing, It Is an Example for the Countries of the Western Balkans

The President of Montenegro is on an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Bulgarian Head of State

Bulgaria firmly supports Montenegro on its path to membership in the European Union, because with the reforms it is implementing, it is an example for the countries of the Western Balkans. This was stated by President Rumen Radev, who today welcomed the Head of State of Montenegro Jakov Milatovic. President Milatovic is on an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Bulgarian Head of State. Rumen Radev stressed that the state leadership of Montenegro does not shy away from the necessary reforms to achieve EU membership and is actually working for changes in the country, which deserves recognition, unlike other cases in the Balkans, where the lack of political will in the process of European integration is covered up with tours of European capitals, Brussels and Washington, in order to seek political support. The Bulgarian Head of State also highlighted the key importance of maintaining and developing good neighbourly relations in the process of EU enlargement.

Rumen Radev and his wife Desislava Radeva welcomed with a ceremony at St Al. Nevsky Square Jakov Milatovic and his wife Milena Milatovic. The two presidents held a one-on-one meeting and led the plenary talks between the official delegations.

At a joint press conference with the Montenegrin President, the Head of State Rumen Radev emphasised that Bulgaria and Montenegro are connected by deep historical, spiritual, cultural ties and share a common commitment to the security, stability and prosperity of the entire region. According to the Bulgarian President, Montenegro can count on Bulgaria to continue providing expert and political assistance on the country's path to EU membership. Rumen Radev recalled that Bulgaria attaches importance to the own merits of each country on this path, as well as to the full implementation of the Copenhagen criteria.

Rumen Radev and Jakov Milatovic expressed a common position that the excellent relations at the political level between Bulgaria and Montenegro, which are confirmed by the visit of the Montenegrin President to this country, provide a prerequisite for deepening the development of practical cooperation in the fields of economy, energy, education and science, tourism, sports, culture and other areas of mutual interest. The Bulgarian head of state added that relations between the two countries are developing on the basis of shared values, mutual respect, trust and friendship, constructive cooperation within NATO and a number of international forums, and expressed his expectation for the soon sharing of common values and responsibilities with Montenegro and within the European Union.

The Bulgarian head of state highlighted the common position with his Montenegrin counterpart that regional connectivity is the basis for the faster implementation of all priorities in the development of bilateral relations. In this regard, the mutual interest in deepening the talks on the establishment of a direct air connection between Sofia and Podgorica was emphasised, which, in the words of Rumen Radev, would provide an incentive for the development of relations in all other areas. The President also expressed his expectation that Bulgaria and Montenegro will continue to promote trade and economic exchange, as well as partnership in the field of tourism, for which, in his words, the potential is significant.

In the Coat of Arms Hall of the presidential institution, in the presence of the two presidents, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Institute of Marine Biology of Montenegro and the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute by the Director of the Montenegrin Institute Mirko Durovic and the Director of the Bulgarian Institute Prof Hristo Pimpirev. A Montenegrin scientist has already participated in the last Antarctic expedition led by Prof Pimpirev. This memorandum shows that we can work together not only in our region, but also far from the Balkans, and extremely successfully, to share common causes based on common values, the head of state pointed out, adding that the signing of a memorandum in the field of sports is expected in the future, and joint documents in the field of education are also to be discussed.

With President Milatovic, we express our common commitment to the security of our region, the Bulgarian President also emphasized and welcomed the participation of Montenegro with its contingent in the Multinational Battle Group on Bulgarian territory. On the second day of Jakov Milatovic's official visit to Bulgaria, the two presidents will visit the Novo Selo training ground, where they will meet with the servicemen of the battle group.

In response to a journalistic question related to the needs of NATO member states to strengthen defence capabilities in view of the geopolitical dynamics of recent weeks, President Rumen Radev pointed out that the great challenge facing NATO today is achieving stability on the European continent by developing sufficient defence and deterrence capabilities. The Head of State recalled that he has repeatedly insisted over the years on the modernisation of the Bulgarian Army, adequate motivation of personnel, an increase in the defence budget and strong European defence capabilities, including by overcoming the fragmentation of the European defence industry and science.

According to the head of state, however, there are people in this country who cannot realise the realities related to the war in Ukraine, as well as the misconception that EUR 800 billion of free financial resources will be available within the EU for investments in defence. The President explained that these are planned to be loans and funds from European funds and National Recovery and Resilience Plans, calling on the Bulgarian government and all responsible institutions to carefully consider how to proceed and whether to redirect European funds for infrastructure, social projects, the environment, water and sanitation, and others, and whether loans will be taken that would lead to an increase in the deficit and inflation.

Europe cannot impose peace from a position of force and it is immoral for Europe to continue pushing Ukraine to continue fighting, the president also said, adding that it is absolutely impossible for Ukraine to achieve a position from which to impose peace through military operations. This policy is leading Ukraine to a catastrophe with even more victims and devastation, and Europe to a dead end, Rumen Radev also emphasised. The head of state appealed to Europe to work in cooperation with the United States to use the political will for a ceasefire. Then we will sit down at the negotiating table and, with the tools of diplomacy and all possible mechanisms, we will seek a solution that guarantees a just and sustainable peace, President Rumen Radev concluded.