Sofia, May 21 (BTA) - Visiting European Commissioner for
Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi held working
meetings with Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, caretaker Prime
Minister Stefan Yanev, caretaker Foreign Minister Svetlan Stoev
and with GERB leader and former prime minister Boyko Borissov
here on Friday. The European Commissioner is accompanied by
Augusto Santos Silva, Foreign Minister of Portugal, currently
responsible for the rotating Presidency of the Council of the
European Union.

Talks with President Radev focused on possible ways to
accelerate the process of European integration of Western Balkan
 countries.

"For Bulgaria the European perspective of the Western Balkans
and the EU enlargement are an indisputable priority," the
Bulgarian head of State said, adding that direct and open
dialogue is the crucial in achieving efficient results for EU
candidate countries.

The meeting was attended by caretaker Foreign Minister Svetlan
Stoev.

Radev underscored the remarkable progress on the EU agenda
achieved under the EU Portuguese Presidency. As a responsible
member of the EU  Bulgaria will continue to support EU candidate
 countries in fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria and in
upholding the principles of good neighbourliness and regard for
human rights, which are at the heart of EU cooperation, said
President Radev

The agenda of the meeting between Yanev, Santos Silva and
Varhelyi was topped by the European perspective of the Western
Balkan countries within the context of EU enlargement. The
discussion focused on the challenges to the EU accession of
North Macedonia and ways to enhance dialogue with Bulgaria.

In view of the EU Portuguese Presidency the guests expressed
readiness to mediate in the negotiations between the two
countries on the contentious issues.

Prime Minister Yanev reaffirmed Bulgaria's position with regards
 to the European perspective of North Macedonia, underscoring
that yet there are no positive steps for overcoming the key
disagreements. Yanev noted the need to resolve disputable issues
 for contentious as the subject is extremely sensitive and of
national significance.

Earlier in the day Minister Stoev said after his meeting with
Varhelyi and Santos Silva that no changes can be expected in
Bulgaria' national position regarding the Republic of North
Macedonia. "The maintaining of goodneighbourly relations and
receiving the necessary guarantees  about the implementation of
the Goodneighbourliness Treaty remain of key significance for
us," Stoev said.

Minister Stoev said that the European perspective of the Western
 Balkans is one of the main priorities of Bulgaria's foreign
policy, which was also a leading factor during the Bulgarian EU
Presidency. He said that Bulgaria continues to be consistent in
its strong support for the Western Balkan countries' European
integration, provided that the criteria for each candidate
country's individual accomplishments are observed together with
the fundamental values of the [European] community, including
the principle of goodneighbourliness.  "We are open to active,
open and meaningful dialogue with the Republic of North
Macedonia and expect to work with our closest neighbours in the
region in the spirit of sincerity and constructiveness," Stoev
said.

"Our goal is to create the necessary conditions for restoring
dialogue between Sofia and Skopje via concrete positive steps,
including at the highest level, which can serve as a foundation
for a future regular government to work on returning the
relations between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia
to the appropriate level that should connect two countries that
are so close," he said.

Portugal's Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva thanked
Bulgaria for its commitment to the enlargement process. He said
that currently there are two processes under the enlargement
process - starting the next intergovernmental conference with
Serbia and Montenegro and approving the negotiations framework,
and subsequently starting the first intergovernmental conference
  with the Republic of North Macedonia and Albania.
It was very important for both processes to hear Bulgaria's
proposals, initiatives and concerns, Minister Silva said, adding
 that now was the time to hold direct consultations with
Bulgaria in Sofia, as these political consultations will be of
huge importance for the ongoing process and the Portuguese EU
Presidency. 

According to Varhelyi, Bulgaria is a leading EU Member State
when it comes to developing policies towards the Western
Balkans. Bulgaria is a country from the region and it is always
worth it to come to Sofia to get ideas, hold discussions and see
 how the matters can be moved forward, he said.

Earlier in the day, GERB leader Boyko Borissov conferred at
his party headquarters here with Commissioner Varhelyi, GERB
said in a press release.

The meeting, which was initiated by the European Commissioner,
focused on the 2017 Treaty of Friendship, Goodneighbourliness
and Cooperation between Bulgaria and the Republic of North
Macedonia.

Borissov noted Bulgaria's key role for returning the Western 
Balkans' European integration on the EU agenda. He described 
this strategic region's European future as a guarantee for 
prosperity and a prevention of foreign powers' interference. 
Borissov noted that Europe must continue to actively work on the
  Republic of North Macedonia's and Albania's European 
integration, while taking into account each country's positions.

The two also discussed the enlargement of transport and digital
infrastructure of countries from the region. According to
Borissov, the completion of the Pan-European Transport Corridor
VIII is in the whole region's interest, as it would connect the
Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea. RI,RY,NV/MY,PP



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