The euro area is a priority for Bulgaria, a factor of economic stability, but also a security issue. For the entire European continent, obviously, the biggest challenge is the Russian aggression in Ukraine. We want the European Union to be strong and credible through its own capabilities.
This is what Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev said in an interview with the popular Argentine media Todo Noticias (TN).
He stressed that the adoption of the euro is Bulgaria's last step towards full European integration in line with all European mechanisms.
"On the one hand, it is stability for the economy, for the financial system, for the banking system. But on the other hand, it is also a security issue because it is a way to prevent any attempt to interfere in Bulgaria's political system. That is why this is a big priority for the government, and we are glad that we have the support of our European colleagues. We hope that by the end of this year or early next year we will be part of this very important financial, fiscal and economic mechanism of the European Union," Georgiev said. He also expressed confidence that the strengthening of the EU defence sector will continue, as well as optimism about the EU-Mercosur agreement.
Asked what are the main challenges facing European countries and Bulgaria in particular, Georgiev said:
"For the whole European continent, obviously, the biggest challenge is the Russian aggression in Ukraine. The most important challenges for us at the moment are in the field of security and defence. Our goal is to achieve lasting and secure peace in Ukraine, to stop Russian aggression, to strengthen our capabilities and to invest even more in defence. We want Europe to be a strong, reliable partner with its own capabilities, functionalities, well prepared for future threats, which, obviously, are more than one. In this sense, we believe that investing in our own security, while of course maintaining strong relations with our transatlantic partners, is necessary in the face of the global challenges facing the world and the global security architecture," he stressed.
Regarding Europe's place in the context of the heightened rivalry between the United States and China, Georgiev pointed out that no one can emerge unscathed from a potential trade war:
"A trade war is a potential problem for all global players. In this respect, the European Union is trying to be as adequate as possible. We are the largest trading market, one of the most powerful, with 500 million consumers and with the technology and environment to develop not only global business but also innovation in many aspects. Nobody can benefit from a trade war, especially when it is a war between the biggest and most powerful players in the world. That is why we are trying to keep the balance."
Georgiev called Donald Trump's 90-day pause on tariffs on EU imports a "great relief".
"We can negotiate and try to avoid any tariff-related developments or other complications for our companies and trade relations. We have to be very sensitive when it comes to China's activities. Of course, we are partners with the United States and we are trying to develop our trade relations in a way that is beneficial to both countries. The most important thing now is to avoid any extreme manoeuvres. We will analyse what the situation is and how we can get out of it in the best way, for the benefit of both the United States and the European Union (EU), because they are two sides of the same coin. We form the largest and strongest commercial, economic, military and defence alliance imaginable at world level. In this sense, it is very important that we maintain our good relations, as we have always done, and in this context we can manage the situation to achieve a good outcome," he said.
The Bulgarian Foreign Minister underlined the importance of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement:
"It is an important opportunity. Of course, any kind of trade or economic relations with different regions is a priority for the EU and for the member states. For example, Bulgaria, in terms of good trade relations with Argentina, is trying to develop in many sectors, in many areas such as agriculture, artificial intelligence, energy. Recently, I had a very pleasant meeting with their Foreign Minister, Gerardo Vertein, where we discussed the possibilities for cooperation and coordination in the field of science and technology. We are very grateful for Argentina's support for our missions in Antarctica. We have very good cooperation on security and defence issues, bearing in mind also that Argentina is a candidate global partner of NATO, which is important for the whole alliance and, of course, for the European Union. There are many opportunities for future development and for deepening our relations with the entire Latin American region," Georgiev said. | BGNES
