site.btaUPDATED FM Gabriel: Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Croatia Can Contribute to SE Europe’s Stability

As EU and NATO members, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Croatia can contribute to the stability and development of Southeastern Europe, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel told journalists Tuesday evening before her meeting with the foreign ministers of the three Balkan countries at the UN headquarters.

"Therefore, our main objective is to draw attention to the need to develop the South-North corridor. This means infrastructure, this means energy security and diversification. It means investment in connectivity, in innovation," she added. 

The strong and effective connectivity calls for a well-development infrastructure and unimpeded movement of goods and people, Gabriel said. Bulgaria's and Romania's Schengen accession will contribute to improving the sustainability and prosperity of the region and the whole of Europe, reads the joint declaration adopted by Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Croatia after the quadrilateral meeting held within the 78th UN General Assembly.

"We affirm our commitment to work together for connectivity in science, education, energy, technology and innovations, to ensure a more sustainable development for the region of Southeast Europe," the document, initiated and proposed by Mariya Gabriel, further says. The declaration was supported by the foreign ministers of Croatia, Greece and Romania. 

Gabriel also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova, Nicu Popescu. "Bulgaria supports Moldova's European integration, and it was personally important for me to welcome Moldova as an associate country in the Three Seas Initiative," Gabriel said.