site.btaForeign Minister: EU and NATO Stand United Like Never Before

"The European Union and NATO stand united like never before," Foreign Minister Teodora Genchovska said at a working breakfast with the ambassadors of the EU and NATO countries and the head of the European Commission Representation to Bulgaria on Thursday. The participants in the gathering discussed a wide range of matters, including multilateral cooperation, the situation in Ukraine and current developments in the Western Balkans, the Foreign Ministry reported.

Genchovska said Bulgaria's foreign policy priorities remain unchanged amid the current dramatic events and are even more relevant than before. "EU and NATO membership is a civilizational choice and a foundation for our national security as well as a guarantee for the prosperity of our citizens," she said.

The Foreign Minister stressed Sofia's appreciation for the solidarity and unanimity in NATO regarding the reinforcement of its eastern flank. She said Bulgaria strongly favours further cooperation in NATO in the field of security and defence.

Discussing the situation in Ukraine, Genchovska said Bulgaria has joined the EU effort to provide humanitarian aid. "This country has opened up its door to receive Ukrainian refugees and has adapted its procedures to the need to provide necessary assistance to arrivals."

The Foreign Ministry has assumed a leading role in protecting and evacuating Bulgarian nationals and ethnic Bulgarians from Ukraine and Moldova as well as any Ukrainian nationals seeking shelter in Bulgaria and other countries. Three thousand Bulgarian nationals have so far been successfully evacuated from Ukraine, Genchovska said.

As for the Western Balkans, Sofia is a staunch supporter of their European integration based on the merits of each country. "Integration into the EU is key to the region's stability and remains the strongest incentive for political and social reforms," Genchovska said.