The relations between Bulgaria and Turkey, which are friendly and partnership-based and which we have been building sustainably for decades, are a guarantee for the protection of our national, but also of the external European borders in a manner that is exemplary in the European context.
This was stated by Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov during his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The two spoke in Antalya, where the Fourth Edition of the Antalya Diplomatic Forum is taking place.
Zhelyazkov highlighted the excellent cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkey as key in the fight against illegal migration and the protection of the common border, which is also one of the external borders of the EU. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that cooperation on this important topic will continue in the future.
Prime Minister Zhelyazkov specifically emphasized the upgrading of the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint, which is the largest border checkpoint in the world in view of the huge volume of heavy goods traffic passing through it daily. The Prime Minister indicated as a priority the expansion of the capacity and throughput of the checkpoint, which will increase the economic benefits for both countries. Zhelyazkov also highlighted the importance of developing other important border checkpoints such as Lesovo and Malko Tarnovo.
The security of the Black Sea region was also in the focus of Prime Minister Zhelyazkov's meeting with President Erdogan. The Bulgarian Prime Minister highlighted the good coordination in the establishment of the Operational Group for Mine Action in the Black Sea.
Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov pointed out that Turkey is not only a neighbor of Bulgaria, but also an ally in NATO and a significant partner in areas such as trade and investment, transport, energy, tourism, the fight against terrorism and organized crime. Zhelyazkov was categorical that deepening economic cooperation and trade relations is important for both countries.
The Prime Minister also proposed cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkey in initiatives related to the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. As other promising areas of successful interaction, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov pointed to innovations, digital infrastructure, green technologies and low-carbon energy technologies. І BGNES
