Bulgaria’s PM Borissov met with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Palmer

On February 10, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov met with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Matthew Palmer.

"Bulgaria and the United States are allies and strategic partners.Cooperation between the two countries continues to expand not only in the bilateral ties but also in NATO and within the EU-US relations," Borissov said.

In the course of the talks, the results of the Bulgarian Prime Minister's meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House in November 2019 were highlighted, as well as the key role of the adopted framework for strategic partnership, which brought the bilateral relations to a new level, the confirmation for which was the holding of the Bulgaria-US Strategic Dialogue in January in Sofia.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said that security and defence were among the main dimensions of the dialogue between the two countries. "Our armed forces participate in a number of joint exercises, including within NATO. And the acquisition of the F-16 Block 70 fighter jets is a significant step forward in the modernization of the Bulgarian Air Force, and further strengthens the relationship between the two countries," he added.

Another focus of the meeting was the further boost of the economic exchange between Bulgaria and the United States of America. The participants in the talks noted the steady increase in the two-way commercial exchange which grew by 3.7% in January-September 2019 compared to the same period in 2018.

Attracting direct American investments in leading sectors of the Bulgarian economy is important for Bulgaria, Borissov said. According to him, the inclusion of Bulgaria in the US Visa Waiver Program would undoubtedly lead to the opening up of additional paths for economic cooperation and an even more active strengthening of contacts between people.

The participants in the meeting gave high assessment to the bilateral cooperation in the area of energy, noting that it contributes to Bulgaria's energy security and diversification of energy sources and routes, including by importing LNG at competitive prices.

The two also discussed the Euro-Atlantic integration of the Western Balkans. Borissov said that the viable prospect for accession to the EU and NATO remains a key driving force for the positive transformation in the region. He added that the integration of the Western Balkans should continue to be based on their own merits in fulfilling the criteria of the rule of law, the fight against corruption, freedom of the media and the rights of minorities.

“NATO and the EU must cooperate closely in order to achieve better interaction in their communication with countries in the Western Balkans region," Borissov noted.