Bulgarian, Slovenian presidents hold news conference, view cooperation, EU
BTA web site, Sofia
26 Oct 04
Ljubljana, 26 October: Bulgaria should not wait for another country or
group of countries in joining the European Union, Slovenian President
Janez Drnovsek told a joint news conference with his Bulgarian
counterpart Georgi Purvanov after their meeting in the Brdo Castle,
near Ljubljana, on Tuesday [26 October].
Drnovsek said this taking a question on how Slovenia would help
Bulgaria along the road to the EU. Slovenia joined the EU on 1 May
this year. Purvanov opened a two-day official visit to Slovenia on
Tuesday. Slovenia believes that the process of Bulgaria’s accession
should continue as planned, within the set time frames, Drnovsek
said, adding that his country would defend this stand. The Slovenian
president said he expects Slovenia to become a member of the Schengen
Agreement by 2007 and to meet all Schengen standards as an external
border of the EU.
Taking a question, Purvanov said that on the whole Bulgaria had no
problems in closing the negotiation chapters with the exception of
the traditionally difficult ones on competition and agriculture. He
pointed out that Bulgaria still has to work on the reform of its
judiciary and administration and with its minorities.
At their one-to-one meeting the two presidents discussed the work of
the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), whose
rotating chairmanship-in-office Bulgaria currently holds. Slovenia
is expected to take over next year. Purvanov said that as holder of
the OSCE chairmanship-in-office Bulgaria prioritized on the fight
against terrorism and against the trafficking of arms and drugs and
other new challenges. The two presidents discussed the hotbeds of
potential tension Kosovo, Transdniestrian region, Georgia, Armenia
and Azerbaijan. These problems cannot be solved within the term of
one chairmanship, Purvanov said, adding that Bulgaria will assist
Slovenia in their solution as former chairman-in-office and member
of the Troika.
Purvanov made a high assessment of the results of political dialogue
between Bulgaria and Slovenia and pointed out that this dialogue
has a positive influence on economic relations. He explained that
this year two-way trade is expected to reach the record high 100m US
dollars. Last year saw a record in investment, Purvanov said. There
are untapped opportunities for bilateral cooperation in tourism,
transport, telecommunications, social security and in promoting direct
contacts between economic agents and the chambers of commerce of the
two countries. Bulgaria was one of the first countries to support
Slovenia’s initiative for a Slavic cultural forum, the Bulgarian
president said. Purvanov also stressed the good relations between
higher educational establishments of the two countries, above all
between Sofia University and Ljubljana University. He thanked for
the support of his idea for cultural corridors in Southeastern Europe.
The Bulgarian president also met with Slovenian parliament Speaker
France Cukjati who was elected to this post on 22 October. Purvanov
is the first foreign head of state whom the new Slovenian parliament
Speaker meets.