UK, Bulgaria PMs Talk Migration, Corruption, Energy Security

Politics » DIPLOMACY | May 11, 2016, Wednesday // 22:01
Bulgaria: UK, Bulgaria PMs Talk Migration, Corruption, Energy Security Photo source: government.bg

The migration crisis in Europe, protection of borders, fight against corruption, and energy security have been discussed in a meeting between Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and his British counterpart David Cameron in London.

"We talked about the processes that unfold between the [European] Commission, [European] Parliament and Turkey, the state of our border," Borisov said after the meeting, according to a news release from the government press office in Sofia.

European Parliament President Martin Schulz was quoted as saying earlier on Wednesday that the European Parliament wouldn’t begin consultations on lifting visa requirements for Turkish citizens because Turkey had yet to fulfil all conditions for visa-free travel in EU’s Schengen zone.

Borisov arrived in London to take part in an anti-corruption summit scheduled for Thursday. Hosted by Cameron, the first-of-a-kind summit is aimed at exploring the possibilities of a global anti-corruption effort and the adoption of a series of measures to fight graft. 

Asked to comment on Belgian media publications about a suspected terrorist arrested on a Bulgarian border, Borisov said that the law enforcement agencies of the two countries cooperated “extremely well”.

Borisov also said that Bulgaria relied on support from the UK and other countries, particularly equipment and technological devices to protect the EU’s external border.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister also pointed to the achievements of his government in cracking down on smuggling of goods.

"I am far from thinking that we have eradicated everything and this is the maximum, but our partners note that the government has the will to do it," Borisov added, referring to the Bulgarian government's efforts to fight corruption.

Borisov and Cameron also discussed energy diversification in Europe.

"We are working very hard to support Balkan gas hub, our country can become a gas distributor and Prime Minister Cameron is helping us to attract large companies into the project", Borisov said, according to the statement.

Borisov proposed the gas hub, to be built near the city of Varna, just days after Russia abandoned  the Gazprom-led South Stream gas pipeline project over objections from the European Commission.Gas could be fed into the proposed regional distribution centre by Russia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan as well as from Bulgarian and Romanian deposits.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

Diplomacy » Be a reporter: Write and send your article
Tags: Bulgaria, UK, Borisov, Cameron, corruption, turkey, Commission, parliament

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria