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Stier says Croatia and Bulgaria are friends and allies

Author: Roberta Mlinarić

ZAGREB, May 29 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Davor Ivo Stier and his Bulgarian counterpart Ekaterina Zakharieva said in Sofia on Monday that Bulgaria and Croatia had traditionally good and friendly relations and announced plans to strengthen the economic cooperation.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Stier, Zakharieva said that there were no outstanding issues between Bulgaria and Croatia and that the two countries' relations were traditionally good and friendly, while Stier described those relations as "really friendly", as relations "of partners and allies."

On the first day of his visit to Bulgaria, Stier met with Zakharieva, who is Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the judicial reform. On Tuesday, he is expected to meet with President Rumen Radev, Parliament Speaker Dimitar Glavchev, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and the Minister of the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council in 2018, Liliana Pavlova.

On Tuesday, Stier will open an exhibition on the 20th and 21st century Croatian art at the National Art Gallery.

Zakharieva told reporters that there remained a lot of room for improving the two countries' economic relations, adding that she and Stier defined at their talks measures to open new areas of economic cooperation.

Stier said that tourism was part of those relations and that the introduction of seasonal flights would help in its development.

Zakharieva said the number of Bulgarians visiting Croatia was two times higher than before, that the number of Croatian visitors in Bulgaria had increased by 10% and that she and Stier discussed the introduction of a direct Zagreb-Sofia air service.

Noting that they agreed that political relations between the two countries could be enhanced as well, she said that they also agreed that the region was faced with common challenges and that each country should be given the prospect of joining the EU depending on its own progress.

Stier said that the two countries shared the same views regarding the European agenda and that Croatia wanted to learn from Bulgaria about the absorption of money from EU funds, given that that country had excellent results in that field.

"We were also given very good information about the priorities of the Bulgarian presidency," said Stier.

"Our joint assessment was that the stability of Southeast Europe is a topic in which we are involved and will continue to work on and in that regard, we care very much about the stability and Euro-Atlantic prospects of Macedonia," said Stier.

Stier said that he and his Bulgarian counterpart also discussed cooperation in the energy sector, saying that he informed Zakharieva about Croatia's plans to build an LNG terminal on the island of Krk.

Stier said he was glad his Bulgarian counterpart would attend a ministerial conference in Dubrovnik that was part of the South-East European Cooperation Process and that Prime Minister Borisov would "attend the summit meeting of that initiative."

Zakharieva said that the two countries would continue to discuss issues relevant for the region and the EU, from Brexit to the EU's future, energy cooperation, common defence policy and the Schengen regime.

Stier recalled that this year Bulgaria and Croatia would mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Asked to comment on Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic's support for the unification of Serbia and the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska, Stier confirmed that one of Croatia's priorities was the preservation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's stability and territorial integrity.

"That has always been the starting point of our policy," he said.

He said that Bulgaria and Croatia had the same positions regarding the EU membership prospects of all Southeast European countries and support for the necessary reforms.

In those processes, Croatia will support Bosnia and Herzegovina as a country of three equal constituent peoples, the Serbs, the Bosniaks and the Croats, and all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said Stier.

Asked about a recent meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Stier repeated his statement given in Moscow - that Croatia was opening dialogue with the Russian Federation as a member of the EU and NATO, open to that dialogue and appreciating the role of the Russian Federation.

"Russia is an important factor, notably in terms of peace and stability in Southeast Europe," said Stier.

On Wednesday, Stier will visit Greece, where he will meet with his Greek counterpart Nikos Kotzias and sign a programme for cultural cooperation.

He will also meet with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, Parliament Speaker Nikolaos Voutsis and members of the Croatia-Greece parliamentary friendship group. 

(Hina) rml

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