Candidate countries for EU membership cannot remain in a political limbo. They need to be approached as if they are already members and need to be involved in creating European policies, Mitov said in his lecture.
The Bulgarian official believes that one of the ways to integrate Southeast Europe is through greater international economic cooperation in key areas such as transport, infrastructure and energy.
"Integration is not only opening and closing chapters. It is necessary to promote the integration of people," Mitov said. He related this to his visit to Krizevci on Tuesday where he officially unveiled a monument to Fran Gundrum-Oriovcanin, a Croatian writer who translated from Bulgarian and who was a great friend of Bulgarian poet Ivan Vazov.
"Europe is created by connecting people," Mitov concluded.
Bulgaria's FM believes that empowering civil society is an important element for Southeast Europe's integration.
"In my country the citizens brought down the government and changed laws. The voice of the people is becoming stronger which we can see now with the events in Macedonia," Mitov said underscoring that Southeast Europe is once again become the site of geopolitical bickering.
Mitov reflected on the Schengen regime which he considers will survive and be extended to countries like Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania. He expressed hope that that will occur soon.
He emphasised that for decades the European Union did not have any challenges and the enlargement process was much easier, however, the current situation is different and the EU needs to focus on active foreign policies.
Mitov, who was paying a two-day official visit to Croatia, spoke at the panel discussion organised by the European Parliament Information Office in Croatia in cooperation with the Bulgarian Embassy in Zagreb, the Diplomatic Academy and the Political Sciences Faculty in Zagreb.