President of the European Parliement is on a Working Visit to Bulgaria

The President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, is on a working visit in Sofia on 21st of November in connection with the upcoming Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU.

In the morning, Tajani had talks with Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.

Antonio Tajani said he felt at home here in Sofia. It is thanks to the Bulgarian hospitality that a new and very good bridge is built between Bulgaria, the EP and the other European institutions, he added.

Tajani, together with Boyko Borissov and the chairpersons of all the EP groups, focused on the ways in which the migrant crisis could be resolved. Tajani supported the Bulgarian Prime Minister that it is high time for Europe to stop building borders within the Union and that it should strengthen the security at the external borders so that only those fleeing wars could pass through the checkpoints.

Borissov reiterated his thesis that it is high time for European leaders to stop being passive and participate actively in all summits on Syria and Iraq. This is usually done in the United States, Russia and even Iran, but Europe, he says, is waiting for ready solutions, and ultimately suffers only the adverse consequences and wonders where to relocate the refugees.

Antonio Tajani also backed Borissov on the most important foreign policy priority of the Bulgarian Presidency, namely the European perspective of the Western Balkans. He said that this topic is a priority across Europe.

Tajani also met with Bulgaria’s President Roumen Radev. The President of the European Parliament will also meet with the Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament Tsveta Karayancheva. Tajani’s address to the Bulgarian Parliament is scheduled for 14.45 and will be broadcast live on BNT 2.