Bulgaria and Greece are very close on a bilateral basis, they can talk on any issue and this is very good for the stability of the region. Security is key, especially now when our world is shaken.
Once the countries of the Western Balkans have fulfilled the requirements, their road to the European Union will be open.
Greece and Turkey are seeking to restart their friendship.
This is what the Greek ambassador to Bulgaria, H. In an interview with Ambassador of Greece to Greece. Alexios Liberopoulos. We talk to him about regional security, relations between Bulgaria and Greece, as well as the prospects for normalization between Athens and Ankara.
Bulgaria and Greece are already very close, not only within the EU and NATO, but also on a bilateral basis. It is obvious that regional security is key, especially now when our world has been a bit shattered, the Greek diplomat said.
He recalled that the international situation is affected not only by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but also by the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Liberopoulos emphasized that for the Balkans peace, good and friendly relations are important.
"It is really important to keep calm, to stay in very good and friendly relations. We are Greece and Bulgaria. We can talk about everything… this is really good for regional stability. It is not just Greece and Bulgaria and Romania, but many other countries that really belong to the EU and are part of the region. It is also about stability in the Western Balkans, which are waiting and walking their way towards European integration," he said.
The diplomat noted that the region will always face different threats that countries have to deal with.
"The threats are always there. The thing is for the countries themselves to do their best to adhere to the principles that we all abide by in the EU, such as the rule of law and human rights," Liberopoulos said.
"We did that when we joined the EU, everybody does. There are requirements. Once the Western Balkan countries do comply with the requirements, their path to the bloc is Is there will be open and they will get support. Greece wants to see the Western Balkans within the EU. Everybody has to do their own business well, and then I don't see any problems.", the Greek ambassador added.
Asked by BGNES about the tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, Alexios Liberopoulos stressed that "cooperation is key and this is the only path forward".
"Every country has to realise this and there will be less and less problems to deal with. Relations between countries are never problem-free, but what is important is the willingness to find common solutions and then move forward. We need stability and security in our region, which means prosperity in the long term," the Ambassador added.
He expressed hope that the meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Erdogan on 7 November in the framework of the Strategic Cooperation Council between the two countries was a cause for optimism.
"It's really an opportunity to have even better relations with our neighbor Turkey. Greece and Turkey are doing a restart in their friendship. The meetings went well and many issues were discussed at the meetings," Alexios Liberopoulos said.
"It was a good opportunity to find the common ground for furthering the relations of two neighbors and the potential for more cooperation for the better life of the peoples too. It's not just the countries, it's the people who live in the countries.," he said. /BGNES
