Remarks by President von der Leyen at the joint press conference with Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister of Bulgaria, and President Michel

Thank you very much, Prime Minister, dear Boyko.

First of all, thank you very much for receiving us at such a special day, which is your national holiday. This is a huge honour. And I am very pleased, because Charles Michel i and I, we got these Martenisa. So we are going to take them back home to Brussels and wear them as long as they hold.

We met here not only a friend, with Prime Minister Boyko Borissov i, but also a true European. And although you have your national holiday today, we had very interesting and intensive talks about the strategic approach in the region for migration and how to better engage with Turkey in the region here. And I must say, it was very interesting and valuable for us to draw on the broad experience that the Prime Minister has in the region and the long years of dealing with a good neighbourhood. So it was for us a very important information and a very important experience we could draw on.

Bulgaria's experience is for us of utmost importance. It is strategically key here in the region and therefore, once again, thank you very much for receiving us. This was a very special moment for Charles Michel i and me. And thank you very much for being such a good friend and being such a good European.