SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said Wednesday that his country would support Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU membership process during his visit to the country.

Radev was ceremoniously welcomed by Denis Becirovic, chairperson of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bosniak member, and Zeljka Cvijanovic, Serbian member of the presidency when he arrived in Sarajevo.

Following a closed-door meeting between Radev's delegation and those of Becirovic and Cvijanovic, Radev expressed condolences for those who lost their lives in recent floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina, stating that his country and the EU are ready to assist.

He noted that they discussed various issues, including security, economic development conditions and demographic problems.

“I want to clearly emphasize that the security and stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina are of strategic importance for the stability and prosperity of the entire region,” he said. “Therefore, I stated that Bulgaria will continue to firmly support the Althea mission (EU peacekeeping mission) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which we believe is crucial for ensuring security and stability.”

He noted they discussed expanding cooperation in security and defense, as well as the possibility of establishing exchange programs between military schools and academies.

Radev highlighted Bulgaria's commitment to helping Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU membership, noting that necessary reforms are crucial for the EU's stability and Bulgaria's support.

Becirovic pointed to the “strong relationship” with Bulgaria, stating that Radev's visit would further enhance ties.

He emphasized their desire to establish stronger political and economic connections with Bulgaria.

“It is strategically important for Bosnia and Herzegovina to establish strong connections with EU and NATO member states like Bulgaria,” he said. “In our inter-delegation meeting, we determined that both our bilateral and multilateral cooperation is quite good, and we want to continue this cooperation in the interests of both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria.”

“We discussed agreements in areas such as tourism, youth, and sports cooperation, protection of our investments, and avoiding double taxation,” he said. “Together, we identified many opportunities to strengthen our cooperation in various sectors.”

“President Radev suggested that we work together to establish direct flights between Sarajevo and Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria,” he said. “I believe this idea will significantly contribute to strengthening relations between our two countries.”

Becirovic pointed out that there are many opportunities for economic collaboration between the two countries, expressing a desire to strengthen connections between businesspeople and chambers of commerce following the visit.

Cvijanovic further reiterated their determination to pursue EU membership, stating that they aim to achieve this through proper progress and short-term goals, thanking Bulgaria for its support.

*Writing by Merve Berker