Barrosso ontmoet Bulgaarse president (en)

José Manuel Durão Barroso

President of the European Commission

Statement following the meeting with the President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov

Figures and graphics available in PDF and WORD PROCESSED

Joint press point

Brussels, 23 February 2010

I would like to welcome Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov to the Commission.

It is a pleasure to receive him in the Commission and to have the opportunity to discuss a series of very important political end economic issues from a European and Bulgarian perspective.

I want to start by underlining how I see Bulgaria's role as a member of the European Union and as a point of reference for the region. I said it before in Bulgaria, in March 2008, that Bulgaria can be the "backbone of a stable prosperous region". I believe this is truer than ever before.

As we face the most significant economic crisis in our generation, Bulgaria's European commitment and perspective is crucial.

I want to thank President Parvanov for being one of the first leaders to inspire the European 2020 debate. The Commission is now preparing its proposals for the spring European Council which will be based around the three key priorities of smart growth, green growth and inclusive growth. We put innovation, we put energy, we put employment at the centre of the European economy.

We have also discussed how the 2020 strategy could be applied to Bulgaria.

We have specifically discussed energy security and solidarity where I believe Bulgaria has an important contribution to give also to the European Union. We take this concept of solidarity extremely seriously, as we have shown during the most recent Russia-Ukraine gas crisis. We are now taking structural action at the European Union level for energy security and energy diversification. I know how committed Bulgaria is to this agenda.

I'm pleased to say that in the coming weeks the Commission will support 44 major energy infrastructure projects in the second batch of the European economic recovery plan.

2.3 billion euros will be granted to 32 gas and 12 electricity projects in the EU over the next twelve months. Bulgaria will be among those to benefit with the support of projects for reverse flow and the Nabucco project to diversify gas imports.

I discussed the issue with President Parvanov about some ideas he has and we have agreed to remain in touch also through the services of the Commission and the Bulgarian authorities.

It was a very successful meeting and once again I want to thank President Parvanov to come here to Brussels to meet the European institutions. Most of all, I want to thank him and Bulgaria for the very clear support to this European project.