UK PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON VISITS BULGARIA (update)

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, arrived on 3rd of December on his first visit to Bulgaria.

He met Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in the Council of Ministers. They discussed the UK’s proposals for reforms in the European Union, migration pressure and security of the EU external borders.

Cameron’s visit is the first to Bulgaria by a UK prime minister in 16 years.

Speaking at the press conference after the talks, Cameron said that he and Borissov discussed the terrorist threat, adding that a stronger exchange of information on passenger flight lists was needed and more measures to combat illegal trading, including illegal weapons trade.

Cameron and Borissov discussed the British government’s proposals for EU reform, Cameron said that he did not expect an agreement to be reached on his EU reform aims at December's summit of European leaders.

"This is a large, bold and wide-ranging agenda and it is difficult. We are not going to agree it in one go so I do not expect to reach agreement at this December summit but we won't take our foot off the pedal.”

Borissov said that cohesion funds were important because they increased competition and business opportunities in the region and helped countries like Bulgaria to catch up with the more developed countries. He added that it shouldn’t be allowed that the social systems of better developed countries be cheated or siphoned off by whatever means.

Cameron said that Bulgaria contributed significantly to the security of the EU external borders, the fight against human trafficking and stemming the migration flows, and underlined that Syrian refugees should be helped to stay in their neighbouring countries.

After the meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart, David Cameron met Bulgaria’s President Rossen Plevneliev. "It is in the interest of the whole European Union that UK remains part of the European project," Plevneliev said.

Plevneliev and Cameron called for open and constructive dialogue within the EU, to discuss the UK’s reform proposals.

The British PM noted that Bulgaria had achieved good results in the area of fiscal discipline, economic growth and strong will for reforms.

Fight against international terrorism and tackling migration pressure on EU were among the highlights at the meeting .  Cameron said that Bulgaria was a good example of effective control of the external borders of the EU.

At the end of the first day of his visit, Cameron and Plevneliev went to see an innovation exhibition at  Sofia Tech Park.

On 4th of December, Cameron will visit the Bulgarian-Turkish border and the sea border.