site.btaForeign Minister Georgiev at Washington Meeting: Transatlantic Energy Cooperation Is Pillar of Shared Prosperity and Security

During the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev told a roundtable on Transatlantic energy cooperation that at a time of fundamental global insecurity and growing geopolitical competition, the ability to coordinate energy strategies between the United States and Europe is more important than ever before. “Transatlantic energy cooperation is a pillar of our shared prosperity and security,” Georgiev said, as quoted on the Foreign Ministry website.

Georgiev made one of the opening statements at the roundtable, along with introductory remarks by Belen Martinez Carbonell, Secretary General of the European External Action Service, and members of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Bulgaria’s chief diplomat welcomed the strategic emphasis which the US puts on supporting its allies and partners through reliable energy supplies and diversification. He commented: “Bulgaria views this approach as totally in line with our European efforts to ensure security of energy supplies. US liquefied natural gas plays a key role in strengthening our energy security and resilience,” he said.

Georgiev noted that Bulgaria plays an active part in improving energy security and connectivity in Central and Southeastern Europe, thus contributing to the overall resilience of the European energy system.

“Energy cooperation between Bulgaria and the US is helping to bolster energy security and diversification not only in my country but in our entire region and Europe as a whole,” he stressed.

He went on to say that Bulgaria is working with the US to build Reactor Units 7 and 8 at the Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant using improved AP1000 technology from the US, which will make Bulgaria the first country in Europe with nuclear reactors to be built on this technology. “This enhances Bulgaria’s role as a regional energy hub and creates excellent opportunities for Bulgarian companies, thus promoting economic growth,” Georgiev said in his speech.

The Munich Leaders Meeting is taking place in Washington between May 5 and 7. About 90 high-ranking representatives of the governmental, private, academic and public sectors from various countries and organizations on both sides of the Atlantic are taking part in the discussions. The format, a spin-off from the Munich Security Conference, provides a platform for open, informal dialogue on Transatlantic partnership and key matters of foreign policy and security, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said.