Bulgaria's President: European Union Should Develop in a Balanced Way

The European Union can work effectively only if it develops in a balanced way and allows the new member states to catch up with the older ones, Bulgria’s President Roumen Radev said on 7 July within the framework of the Warsaw Global Forum, which brought together politicians, business leaders and experts. According to the President, Europe should offer a European perspective to the countries of the Western Balkans.

Connectivity, cooperation and security are the three basic principles which, according to President Radev, should be leading in the development of Central and Eastern Europe.

The European Union is a very complex system and this system can work effectively only if we have a common and equal level of development. So cohesion and convergence are the key words here. I think our Western partners understand this very well and appreciate our efforts to catch up with their level, their economic and infrastructure development, their standard of living, he said.

In the resolution of the crisis in Ukraine, the channels for dialogue with Russia should be opened, Radev said.

Relations with Russia should be based on a pragmatic basis, Radev says, so we can defend our interests in the dialogue with the Russians.

For the Western Balkans, a European perspective is needed, Radev said.