Sat, May 26 2012

Bulgaria proposes role in Western Balkans

Wed, Feb 24 2010 10:41 CET 3162 Views 3 Comments
Bulgaria proposes role in Western Balkans

European Council President Herman van Rompuy and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

In separate meetings with European Union leaders, Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov and President Georgi Purvanov have proposed that the bloc draw on Bulgaria’s assistance in the Western Balkans.
 
Meeting EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton ahead of an EU foreign ministers’ meeting on February 22, Mladenov suggested that Brussels draw on Bulgarian expertise in its policy on the region.
 
This idea was welcomed, according to the Foreign Ministry in Sofia.
 
At the Ashton – Mladenov meeting, issues discussed included Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Macedonia.
 
Purvanov, who met European Council President Herman van Rompuy as part of a series of meetings with senior officials in the bloc from February 22 to 24, proposed to Van Rompuy that Bulgaria take on a co-ordinating function in implementing EU economic strategy in the Western Balkans.
 
This would be part of the EU economic strategy for the period up to the year 2020.
 
Purvanov offered to write the proposal personally, envisioning Bulgaria in a co-ordinating role. This proposal would be submitted on behalf of all Bulgarian institutions, according to Purvanov’s office.
 
 

  • Print
  • Send via email
  • Translate to
  • Share:

Comments

Anonymous robert in france Wed, Feb 24 2010 19:26 CET

EU is just a mish mash of countriesof countries which on paper are deemed to all be playing on the same side. O fcourse the situation is not that easy as every country is trying its utmost at taking a maximum profit from each other and bugger the consequences. Life was much simpler before half baked eu laws are forced on all without any respect for the nations social cultural or ecconomic situation. All countries have their own problems which are far more important than eu and should be left to resolve them in their own way

Anonymous Valeri Wed, Feb 24 2010 18:57 CET

"Bulgaria must concentrate on its own issues before attempting to take on the responsibilities of other countries."

Then no country should take on any responsibilities outside of it.
What country in the EU doesn't have internal issues?


Anonymous Rob Wed, Feb 24 2010 18:19 CET

Bulgarian has a long way to go before taking on such responsibility.Trust is paramount and that can only come with time. Bulgaria must concentrate on its own issues before attempting to take on the responsibilities of other countries.


To post comments, please, Login or Register.


Please read the The Sofia Echo forum comments policy.

Bulgarian FM in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Western Balkans tour

Latest stage of regional roadshow takes Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov to Sarajevo and Banja Luka.

Bulgarian Foreign Minister holds talks with ambassadors from South Eastern Europe

Nikolai Mladenov emphasised to the envoys that Bulgaria’s main foreign policy priorities are the redefinition and strengthening of his country’s Balkan policy.

Serbia – Kosovo problem dogs Brdo Western Balkans summit

EU leaders including Herman van Rompuy have confirmed they will attend the Brdo summit on the Western Balkans, organised by Croatia and Slovenia, but a standoff between Serbia and Kosovo continues - but will not stop the summit being held, organisers say.

Bulgaria’s Georgieva to be a ‘deputy’ to EU foreign policy chief Ashton

Three European commissioners will help out much-criticised EU foreign policy supremo Catherine Ashton, who has a job, she says, that is ‘built on three people’s jobs’.

Bosnia indicts former commander over Srebrenica massacre

Nedjo Ikonic allegedly oversaw the massive killings and detentions of Muslims in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica in 1995.

Analysis: EU and Western Balkans seek paths to each other

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is claiming the post-conflict Western Balkans as a model for future policy actions, while within the EU and within the region itself, summits are planned to advance EU integration.

News analysis: Bosnia and Herzegovina still struggling

Dennis Blair, the director of US national intelligence, recently warned that Bosnia is ‘Europe’s biggest security threat’.

‘Right time’ to resolve Macedonia name dispute – UN mediator

Matthew Nimetz, after talks in Skopje and heading for Athens, hopes to see progress speeded up but says that he has not come with a concrete proposal for a compromise in the long-standing dispute about the use of the name Macedonia.

Bulgaria could be ‘backbone of a stable prosperous region’ – Barroso

In the face of the most significant economic crisis in this generation, Bulgaria's European commitment and perspective is crucial, European Commission President Jose Barroso says.

Extension proposed for EU trade deal with Western Balkans

European Commission proposes to renew autonomous trade preferences for the Western Balkans.

EU foreign policy chief Ashton’s messages to Kosovo and Serbia

Calling on Serbia and Kosovo to settle their differences, EU foreign policy chief Ashton underlines that the ‘future of Kosovo is European’ but authorities in Pristina need to do a lot more to meet their commitments.

Ashton on the EU and the Western Balkans

'The EU is with you until you are in the EU,' EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton says in a speech in Belgrade on the Western Balkans.

Croatia needs continued reforms to back EU hopes – European Commissioner

European Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele, on the eve of the inauguration of Croatia’s new president Ivo Josipovic, will underline his reform message to senior leaders.

Analysis: Bulgaria’s new Foreign Minister’s first tasks

Nikolai Mladenov’s agenda includes South Eastern Europe, getting Bulgaria into the Schengen and euro zones, and gaining EU confidence in the government in Sofia. It will not be as simple as that.

2010 will be ‘key year’ for Western Balkans, EU Presidency says

Spain, current holder of the rotating presidency of the EU, will do its utmost to achieve progress in the process of integrating the Western Balkans into the bloc, its foreign minister says.

More in this category

Czech Republic, Romania mull shale gas moratoriums

Governments in Prague and Bucharest could soon join Sofia in instituting temporary moratoriums on shale gas exploration.

Serbia: Tadić leads as presidential elections head for second round

Coalition around ruling Democratic Party has largest share of vote in Serbia's parliamentary election, according to exit polls.

Greek voters punish major centre-right, socialist parties at polls

Centre-right New Democracy is said by exit polls to have largest share of votes, but diminished even from its 2009 defeat, while socialists Pasok – the 2009 victors – gets somewhere around 14 to 17 per cent.

Deal on OSCE role in Serbian elections welcomed

An agreement reached with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) will allow voters with dual citizenship in Kosovo to vote in the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections in Serbia.

Macedonia arrests 20 suspected terrorists

Twenty radical Muslims suspected of being members of a terrorist group that has been linked to the murder of five fishermen in early April.