site.btaForeign Minister Gabriel: Ukraine Appreciates Bulgaria's Scrapping of Import Ban

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel told reporters in New York on Wednesday that Ukraine appreciates Bulgaria's decision not to extend the import ban on Ukrainian agricultural products, as it was not taken lightly. Gabriel added that it was precisely the moment of difficulty that made both Ukraine and the European Commission appreciate Bulgaria's strength and gesture of solidarity.

After Gabriel's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis and with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, she said that supporting Ukraine does not impact Bulgaria in any negative way. "On the contrary, as long as we stand united, as long as we are here in these difficult moments, when we are looking for a common solution, this is something that can bring benefits to everyone", she added.

The Foreign Minister said that von der Leyen praised Bulgaria and Romania's decision to lift their import bans, as this helped the two countries take a strong position.

Gabriel described as "unfounded" President Rumen Radev's criticism of the government for not pursuing a policy of persuading Austria to lift the Schengen veto against Bulgaria. She added that a visit by Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov to Austria was planned. "But I think when you go on a visit, you go when you are close to a result. We want to do our job before that," she said.

Gabriel stated that there is not a day or a meeting, from diplomatic to economic institutional level, when the topic of Bulgaria's entry into Schengen does not get raised.

Radev told reporters in New York on Tuesday: "So I encourage Prime Minister Denkov to make a visit to Austria as soon as possible, there are ways. He should invite Prime Minister Nehammer as I invited him, we went to the border together, we also have a regular dialogue with the President so that our voice is heard much better and louder".