First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić met today with Bulgarian Parliament Speaker Mihail Mikov, with whom she discussed the two countries’ bilateral relations as well as current regional and European topics.
Migration policy, which is one of the Greek presidency’s priorities, is also among Croatia and Bulgaria’s priorities, Pusić and Mikov agreed, stressing the importance of improving each member state’s operative capabilities as well as their mutual cooperation. Mikov thanked Croatia for its assistance in accommodating Syrian refugees, whose number has risen to 11,000 during the last year.
The two officials said it was necessary to find long-term solutions for improving the conditions in countries migrants originate from as it was a common problem that needed to be dealt with in unison.
One of the topics was also energy, given that both Croatia and Bulgaria consider supply and route diversification important. Pusić said that the realization of TAP/IAP was extremely important for the security of supply in Southeast and Central Europe, a route which would benefit Bulgaria as well, through interconnectors with the neighbouring countries.
The EU enlargement to the Western Balkans is one of Bulgaria’s foreign policy priorities, said Mikov, adding that it was paramount that all countries meet the commitments and that their achievements be evaluated individually. He and Pusić agreed that a stable Bosnia and Herzegovina was crucial for the stability of the region as a whole and that it was necessary to assume a specific and flexible approach towards that country.
Pusić and Mikov underlined the excellent bilateral relations between Croatia and Bulgaria, joint interests in the region and similar views in regards to European topics. Pusić informed her guest about Croatia’s model of coordinating European positions between government and parliament and outlined the activities of the National Negotiations Monitoring Committee, which she has chaired. Mikov stressed the role of parliaments, especially after the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, as well as the need to improve the citizens’ confidence in institutions.
In regard to the recent Swiss referendum, the two officials agreed that free movement and common market were the cornerstones of the EU, and when those two components were missing the Union itself loses its purpose.
Mikov is on a visit to Croatia 17 and 18 February, during which he met with his counterpart Josip Leko and President Ivo Josipović, and tomorrow he is to visit Rijeka and Opatija. While in Zagreb, he will also meet with members of the Bulgarian community in Croatia.