- As presiding country of the EU in the upcoming 2018, we will strongly advocate the enlargement policy of the Western Balkans, whereby we will significantly appreciate the individual achievements of each candidate country. We are expecting that Montenegro will open the remaining three negotiation chapters in that period - Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria Ms Tsveta Karayancheva said during the meeting with the delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro headed by President Mr Ivan Brajović.
- Our presiding of the EU can be called “the Balkan presiding” bearing in mind the priorities and the upcoming EU-Western Balkans Summit 2018. - Speaker Karayancheva added.
The President of the Parliament said that the right moment was chosen for the first bilateral visit to Bulgaria since Montenegro’s independence, emphasising the importance of parliamentary cooperation in strengthening excellent political relations of the two countries, as the basis for the development of significant economic cooperation.
Mr Brajović inscribed the following in the Guest Book: “It is my great honour and pleasure that since the renewal of the Montenegrin statehood, I am the first President of the Parliament of Montenegro who pays an official visit to the Republic of Bulgaria. I am convinced that this visit is the best confirmation of joint readiness of our two legislatures to give their full contribution to strengthening of parliamentary cooperation and further development of the overall relations between the two friendly states.”
At the meetings with Deputy PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ms Ekaterina Zakharieva and Minister for the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Ms Liliana Pavlova, the interlocutors expressed expectation that Bulgarian presidency of the EU, with accent on expanding to the Western Balkan countries and their connecting, would be successful both for that country and for Montenegro. All the talks assessed that the European perspective kept the Balkans stable, and that the new states in the community of European nations would bring their values.
They stated unambiguous position that Montenegro, as the country with the largest number of open chapters, must be supported in its efforts on the European path.
- “We appreciate Montenegro’s efforts, and during the talk with Mr Brajović, I welcomed opening of two additional chapters. European path is difficult for Montenegro, but it is achieving its goals. We really care for Montenegro’s fulfilment of its goals. For us, that process is important, and we think that every state should be assessed in accordance with their individual merits. Of course, we would like all six states of the Western Balkans to be members of the EU, and we will help to all of those countries. However, we hold the position that perspective of each country should be determined according to their individual merits, Minister Pavlova said among other things.
A meeting with President of the Republic of Bulgaria Mr Rumen Radev is scheduled for tomorrow.
Aside from President Braović, the delegation of the Parliament of Montenegro is composed of members of the MNE- Bulgaria parliamentary friendship group: Mr Tarzan Milošević, as Head of the Group, and Mr Andrija Popović and Mr Mihailo Anđušić, as members.
Statement - Karayancheva
Statement by President Brajović - Bulgaria
Footage Bulgaria
Statement - Liliana Pavlova
Playing of national anthems and wreath-laying ceremony
Greeting by Bulgarian parliamentarians
