Bulgaria's President Met with the President of 72nd General Assembly Session

Transformation of the European policy towards migrants and focus on the EU support towards addressing the economic and social problems in the source countries of migration movements were the leading topic in the meeting between Bulgaria’s President Roumen Radev and Miroslav Lajcak, President of the 72nd General Assembly session, the press secretariat of the Bulgarian President said on 21^st of September.

Radev told Bulgarian journalists after the end of the meeting that if the EU's open-door policy towards migrants continues, this will not only increase the funds from Member States' budgets to ensure integration programmes and to guarantee their own security, but the problem will remain unsolved at the place where it originated.

"Regardless of how much money we spend, we will be unable to ensure 100% security in Europe," Radev said.

The head of state has confirmed that he has invited US President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to visit Bulgaria. He said that our country's strategic partnership with the United States was reaffirmed during the reception given by President Donald Trump to the Heads of Delegation at the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly.

The implementation of the justice reform in Bulgaria and the country's aspirations for joining the Schengen area were among the highlights during the talks between President Radev and the Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Rutte showed interest in Bulgaria's experience of preventing attempts of external interference in its electoral process and domestic affairs. Radev noted that a number of successful measures were taken in this direction by the latest caretaker government. He stressed that Bulgaria was expecting a visit by the Dutch Foreign Minister shortly to get familiar with the Bulgarian experience in preventing external influence.

In response to a journalist's question about the international support for the Global Pact for the Environment established at the initiative of the French President, Emmanuel Mcron, Radev said the initiative was welcomed by all countries. "It is bound to develop, we simply cannot step back anymore," he noted. "You see that even the United States admitted, after several series of hurricanes, that they cannot easily withdraw and disengage from climate changes," Radev said.

Talking with the World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, Radev reviewed Bulgaria's 25 years of cooperation with the World Bank and the prospects for its further development. According to Radev, Bulgaria expects the World Bank to provide expert advice rather than financial aid and loans, on how to achieve more intensive economic and social development.

During his working visit to the United States, the Bulgarian President took part in the Bloomberg Global Business Forum. He and Michael Bloomberg exchanged opinions about political and financial matters.

Later on, Bulgaria’s Head of State participated in an international conference on preventing the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes, organized by French President Emmanuel Macron and UK’s Prime Minister Theresa May.