site.btaForeign Minister, Ambassadors of EU Member States Confer in Sofia

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel met with ambassadors of EU Member States at the Boyana residence in Sofia, the Foreign Ministry's press service said on Wednesday. Gabriel said her aim was to make such meetings regular, a place for dialogue, cooperation and identifying common initiatives.

Gabriel said: "Bulgaria's main priorities remain entry into the Schengen area by the end of 2023, adoption of the common European currency before January 1, 2025, and accession to the OECD [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development]".

Gabriel stressed Bulgaria's active participation in the EU and NATO, the importance of strategic partnerships and regional connectivity, she pointed to the pan-European Corridor 8 and the Three Seas Initiative as examples. The Deputy Prime Minister also noted the joint declaration between Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Croatia adopted in New York in the framework of the UN General Assembly session.

Gabriel briefed the ambassadors on the steps taken by the Bulgarian government to combat misinformation and paid special attention to the key role of cultural diplomacy.

Spanish Ambassador to Bulgaria Alejandro Polanco Mata pointed out the good cooperation between his country and Bulgaria and confirmed Spain's support for Bulgaria's membership in Schengen, the euro area and the OECD.

Gabriel informed the diplomats about the upcoming meeting of the governments of Bulgaria, Romania and Greece early next week, in which Moldova is also invited. "This will be a good opportunity to show our joint efforts to strengthen connectivity and discuss common initiatives," the Deputy Prime Minister said.