Bulgaria and Greece Are an Axis of Stability in South-Eastern Europe, Says PM Rumen Radev

Bulgaria and Greece have become a strong axis of stability and a guarantor of the European future of the entire South-Eastern European region. This was stated by Prime Minister Rumen Radev following a meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who is on an official visit to Sofia on June 4.

Before making statements to the media, the two leaders held a one-to-one meeting at the Council of Ministers building, followed by expanded talks involving both delegations.

Relations between Bulgaria and Greece have evolved into a strategic partnership founded on mutual trust, shared values and common interests, Radev said. According to the Bulgarian prime minister, the vision and energy of his Greek counterpart have made a significant contribution to the development of bilateral ties.

Radev also highlighted the positive development of economic relations between the two countries. He noted that annual trade between Bulgaria and Greece has now reached €6 billion, having increased by €1 billion over the past year alone. He further pointed out that Greek investment in Bulgaria exceeds €3.5 billion.

The Prime Minister stressed that cooperation between the two countries in the fields of energy, transport and digital connectivity extends beyond the framework of bilateral relations and is of significance to Europe as a whole.

He also noted that he and Prime Minister Mitsotakis had discussed accelerating work on the Alexandroupolis–Burgas oil pipeline project, for which a memorandum of understanding to explore implementation options was signed in 2023.

The development of digital infrastructure was also among the key topics of discussion, the Bulgarian Prime Minister said. According to Radev, Bulgaria and Greece have considerable potential to develop data centres and technologies related to artificial intelligence.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Greece had stood alongside Bulgaria in protecting its airspace from potential threats and that the two countries could further strengthen their defence cooperation. He made the remarks following a meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart, Rumen Radev, in Sofia.

"I am delighted to be in Bulgaria as the first European leader to visit our friendly country," Mitsotakis said during their joint press statement.

"Following your significant election victory, I would like to congratulate you on this great success and wish your government every success. I would also like to express my satisfaction that there is a government with a stable majority, capable of carrying out reforms that are beneficial both for Bulgaria and for the European Union," he added at the beginning of his remarks alongside Prime Minister Radev.

Photos by Dessislava Kulelieva, BNT

Source: BTA