September 3, 2018 - The Prime Ministers of Montenegro and Bulgaria Duško Marković and Boyko Borissov said at a press conference following an official meeting that relations between the two countries are friendly, that they are deepened by Bulgaria's support to our European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and that both sides see the possibility of stronger economic cooperation.
Bulgaria has been with Montenegro all the time of the Montenegrin European and Euro-Atlantic integration, it believed in Montenegrin ambition and in its possibilities, it provided concrete political and all other support - that is why we Bulgaria and Montenegro are now allies in NATO and very reliable partners in the process of European integration of Montenegro, explains Prime Minister Duško Marković.
During the conference, it was announced that Montenegro could count on Bulgaria's full support for European integration in the future, especially in the process of opening the remaining two negotiating chapters. At all levels, Bulgaria's representatives supported Montenegro from the very beginning. Bulgaria is one of the first countries that did everything possible because Bulgarian representatives are convinced that after joining NATO, Montenegro must join the European Union in the fastest possible way, Prime Minister Borissov pointed out, adding that Bulgaria will continue to support Montenegro as well as Macedonia and Albania when their European integration process begin. Bulgaria considers it important to speed up the process of integration before European elections, because during the elections, the attention of the EU representatives will be focused elsewhere.
Prime Minister Duško Marković said at the press conference that the support of Bulgaria and Prime Minister Borissov personally was crucial for the Western Balkans to be on the agenda of the European Union after fifteen years, and that the Adriatic-Ionian Motorway will be included in the list of corridors supported by the European Union at this year's conference organised by the European Bank for Europe Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
As stated on the conference, Prime Minister Borissov and his government were decisively important for holding the EU-WB summit in Sofia after 15 years, which gave a clear European perspective to the Western Balkans. PM Borissov's efforts resulted in the adoption of a political declaration that gave the countries of the Western Balkans, candidates for EU membership, a clear European perspective. Thanks to Bulgaria and Prime Minister Borissov, Montenegro has most seriously launched talks on regional infrastructure connections that are important for the economic progress of the region and for the better lives of its citizens throughout the region and in every country. The Declaration of the Summit in Sofia has also included the Adriatic-Ionian corridor as a project which will be supported by the European Union. This happened exclusively thanks to PM Borissov's commitment expressed at an economic forum organised by the EBRD in London.
The Prime Minister of Bulgaria stressed the importance of infrastructure connections of the countries of Southeast Europe, saying that this would be important for connecting Western Europe and Asia, as well as for the competitiveness of businesses in our region. He particularly pointed out that a large part of financing infrastructure projects will come from EU sources. Therefore, it is important that the countries of the region adjust their tolls and border procedures in order to make it easier to carry out the work. PMs Marković and Borissov said that they also discussed strengthening economic cooperation between Montenegro and Bulgaria.
"Today, we talked about how to improve economic cooperation, to connect our economies, to open new jobs and create new opportunities for our people," Prime Minister Marković said.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said at the press conference that he proposed a concrete project in the field of energy to Prime Minister Duško Marković.
"I am interested in the transfer of power between Montenegro and Italy because we have two nuclear reactors, we have a ready field for the construction of a nuclear power plant. I suggested that we make a mixed company, perhaps with some symbolic participation in the construction of our nuclear plant, perhaps with colleagues from Serbia, in order to transmit that power towards Italy also, based on what you build with Italy. I think it would be a very good, profitable project," PM Borissov said, noting that he had agreed with Prime Minister Marković to discuss the matter with experts from the two countries, assessing that the facts that Bulgaria has power and Montenegro has submarine power cable should be used.
