Dear Prime Minister, dear Rumen, it is with great pleasure that I am here in Bulgaria today as the first European leader to visit your friendly country following your resounding election victory.
I would like to congratulate you on your electoral success, wish the new government good luck, and express my satisfaction that there is now a government with a comfortable parliamentary majority, which can implement significant long-term reforms for the benefit of Bulgaria and, more broadly, the European Union.
I would also like to congratulate Bulgaria on joining the eurozone and the Schengen Area. I believe this is a significant development, which obviously concerns Greece as well and certainly facilitates not only trade but also the substantial tourist traffic between the two countries. Two million Bulgarians visit our country every year, and we obviously want to make their travel as easy as possible.
I believe you touched on many issues related to our bilateral cooperation: interconnection investments, the importance of a vertical infrastructure corridor that will link Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and possibly extend as far as Ukraine, as well as issues related to energy interconnection and the feasibility of implementing the vertical natural gas corridor.
It was Greece that completed the IGB in record time, at a time when there was a great need for natural gas supplies to Bulgaria, during the early stages of the war between Ukraine and Russia. Therefore, the potential for cooperation in this sector is truly significant, and together we can seek substantial European funding to move forward in this direction.
I would also like to stress the need to reach a long-term strategic agreement on the issue of cross-border water management, whether it concerns the Arda and Evros rivers or the Nestos River. I believe the time has come for us to view this issue from a long-term perspective so that we, too, can plan the significant investments we must make in a sector that concerns not only agriculture but also protection against the climate crisis.
I would also like to underline the importance I attach to strengthening our defense cooperation. Dear Rumen, Greece has stood by Bulgaria’s side, protecting its airspace from potential threats that could come from the east, and I believe we can take many more steps now that we are acquiring defense equipment to strengthen our defense cooperation for the benefit of both our bilateral relations and the NATO alliance as a whole, to which we both belong.
We will both be in Montenegro shortly to discuss issues concerning the prospects of the Western Balkans. We maintain that the Western Balkans belong to Europe, but we also point out that this entire process must be independent, taking into account the willingness of the Balkan countries to respect the rules of good neighborliness and to fully align with the European acquis.
Finally, I would also like to make a special mention of the important European discussions that are beginning regarding the next Multiannual Financial Framework. I would like to emphasize how important it is to manage and maintain Cohesion Policy funds as well as those for the primary sector, and I agree with you that the Competitiveness Fund should be allocated in such a way that it does not come at the expense of countries that are not currently as competitive compared to more advanced economies.
I would like to thank you once again for your kind hospitality and to stress the need to convene the 5th High-Level Cooperation Council between our two countries without delay, where we will finally be able to discuss all these issues in much greater detail and take our bilateral cooperation to an even higher level.
Dimitris Gatsios (ERT NEWS): My question is addressed to both leaders. We are just a few days away from the crucial Summit “of the 27” in Brussels, where major issues will be on the table, and we are also facing discussions on competitiveness and negotiations, as you mentioned, regarding the new Multiannual Financial Framework.
I would therefore like to ask you whether Greece and Bulgaria share a common approach regarding the maintenance or even the strengthening of funding for pillars such as Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy. I would also like to ask you whether you discussed the issue of joint European borrowing as a tool for financing specific priorities, following the model of the Recovery Fund. Thank you.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: I think we have already addressed the first part of the question. Indeed, we are facing difficult negotiations regarding the Multiannual Financial Framework. It is clear that the European Union’s ambitions at this moment exceed the resources the EU is willing to allocate to achieve them. That is why Greece insists on a more ambitious approach to European budget issues.
I have spoken out on defense issues on many occasions and have stressed the need for European defense to be funded through a new European borrowing instrument, as it essentially concerns our collective good.
Defense is a European public good and could be financed through new European borrowing instruments, provided that these are allocated fairly among all countries and serve the defense needs of the entire European continent.
And when I speak of the entire European continent, Mr. Gatsios, I also mean that we cannot focus our attention solely on the East. Ukraine is a major crisis that we must manage, but Europe faces challenges on all sides, and consequently its approach to defense policy must also take into account the concerns of countries such as Bulgaria and Greece, which are located on the southeastern edge.
Consequently, I would like to reiterate that Greece will insist, together with – I believe – several European countries, on continuing this discussion, having also taken on the heavy responsibility of preparing for the Council presidency in the second half of 2027. We will work with our partners and with the preceding presidencies to ensure that this issue is now placed on the European agenda with much greater consistency.
Journalist: Hello. A question from Bulgarian National Radio. Bulgaria and Greece are a key corridor for Southeast Europe in the energy sector. What will be the next steps in this direction in light of the Vertical Corridor and Bulgaria’s desire to have a second terminal in Alexandroupoli for natural gas?
Regarding road infrastructure, since the project is strategic for both countries, when will we see actual traffic on this corridor, and how does this fit into European funding?
Furthermore, Greece has supported Bulgaria in the face of aerial threats, but is there a broader framework for joint defense projects, and is there also a proposal from Greece regarding the management of water resources flowing from Bulgaria into Greece?
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: I believe the Prime Minister responded frankly to all the issues you raised.
I would like to reiterate the importance we attach to energy interconnections between our two countries. The Vertical Gas Corridor essentially enhances the geopolitical position of both our countries, as we are now becoming providers of energy security for many countries located north of Greece and Bulgaria. Interconnectivity issues are at the core of our cooperation.
I envision a land corridor that would include highways and railways, connecting Greece’s ports and extending all the way to Ukraine. This obviously requires the cooperation of Bulgaria, but also that of Romania. We hope that a trilateral discussion between the two countries can lead us in this direction.
As for the ports mentioned by the Prime Minister, these are private investments that are currently underway, as well as ports where concessions have already been granted. I imagine that the interest of Bulgarian entities in participating in these ports could be explored, but this is a matter that concerns the private concessionaires. However, I fully understand that, in the context of comprehensive interconnection, which would also include Greek investments in Bulgarian infrastructure, such an arrangement might make sense.
I would like to thank the Bulgarian Prime Minister once again for his exceptionally gracious hospitality, and I believe we should schedule another meeting for the next intergovernmental council, which will address all these issues, with the participation of our ministers.
