site.btaUPDATED Bulgaria Vows Continued Support for Turkiye's European Path

Bulgaria has always supported and will continue to support Turkiye's European parth, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel said here on Tuesday. She was speaking at a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who is paying a visit to Bulgaria at Gabriel's invitation. 

In Gabriel's words, Turkiye is not only a neighbouring country but also a friend, ally in NATO, and strategically important partner. The two countries will set up an expert group on energy and climate, and their foreign ministries will coordinate the agenda and joint work, she said.

Bulgaria and Turkiye share a common responsibility for peace, stability, and security in Southeastern Europe and the Black Sea Region, Gabriel went on to say. As allies in NATO, the two countries will develop their partnership in strategic areas, she noted, giving as an example the Mine Counter-measures Task Group Black Sea, established by an agreement between Bulgaria, Romania and Turkiye earlier in January, and the memorandum with Turkiye on cross-border airspace security operations.

Gabriel went on to say that the bilateral cooperation in migration is of particular importance not only for Bulgaria but also for the EU as a whole. "The good and active cooperation in the fight against illegal migration, the quick information exchange, and the protection of our common border will continue in the future as well," she noted.

Tuesday’s meeting has given an impetus to the development of bilateral cooperation in key areas, such as economy, trade, transport, infrastructure, investment, and tourism, Gabriel said. “Through innovation and investment in innovative enterprises, we will contribute to the development of regions and will support the new generation of innovators, who can benefit all our citizens,” the Bulgarian Foreign Minister argued.

In the field of culture and education, Bulgaria and Turkiye have good cooperation and direct contacts. “We welcome Turkiye’s intention to present a multinational file on yogurt starter culture, and it will receive our support in getting acknowledged by UNESCO as a intangible cultural heritage,” Gabriel said. On its part, Bulgaria would appreciate Turkiye's support for the establishment of a Sofia-based regional centre for underwater cultural heritage in the Black Sea.

The Bulgarian Foreign Minister thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the invitation to visit his country in March.