site.btaGERB Chair Meets German Chancellor, Croatian and Greek Prime Ministers at EPP Summit

GERB Chair Boyko Borissov met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as well as Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on the sidelines of the European People’s Party (EPP) summit in Zagreb, Croatia, he said on Facebook on Saturday.

During his talks with Merz, Borissov said that the construction of a new joint explosives and ammunition plant by Germany’s Rheinmetall and Bulgaria marked a new strategic phase in bilateral relations. Merz and Borissov agreed that the new facility would help strengthen the European Union’s overall defence capabilities and would establish both countries as reliable partners in the European defence industry.

Borissov also said that ahead of Bulgaria’s upcoming snap parliamentary elections, GERB would present its vision for large-scale modernization of the state. During the campaign, the party would outline measures aimed at accelerating economic growth, safeguarding public finances, attracting new investments in high-tech sectors, raising incomes, and ensuring high-quality education and healthcare. He added that GERB had always coordinated its policies with Germany’s most successful practices and described Germany as Bulgaria’s strategic ally, leading economic partner, and a key factor for stability and development in the European Union.

In his meeting with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Borissov said that Bulgaria and Croatia were working together on key European issues and sharing experience and best practices, particularly in the area of economic stability. He noted that relations between the two countries were developing actively, including in investment and economic cooperation, where there was significant potential for growth and exchange. The two also discussed their countries’ transition from national currencies to the euro.

In his talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Borissov said that Bulgaria and Greece were key gas distribution and transit factors on Europe’s energy map. He noted that 80% of compressor stations in the Balkans were built in Bulgaria and that entry points for many major routes were located at Greek ports.

Borissov informed Mitsotakis that two sections in Bulgaria would be completed by the end of 2026: the Kulata-Kresna section, which would increase gas transmission capacity at the Bulgarian-Greek border by 50%, and the Rupcha-Vetrino section, which would double capacity.

On the sidelines of the EPP summit in Zagreb, Borissov also met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.