Ambassador Vlaykov: Romania and Bulgaria are responsible for the region; we must stay close to each other

Russia’s war against Ukraine was the moment when Romania and Bulgaria understood that they are ‘responsible’ for the region, stated on Thursday Sofia’s ambassador to Bucharest, Radko Vlaykov.He took part at the round table ‘Bulgaria and Romania – a year of strategic partnership. The way forward’ organised at the Romanian Diplomatic Institute.Vlaykov said that ‘three or four months’ had been necessary to draw up the partnership.’ From Bulgaria’s point of view it was very important. It should have started ten, fifteen, twenty years ago. (…). Probably the war in Ukraine was the moment when we thought that Romania and Bulgaria are responsible for the region, we need to stay close to one another. This might be one of the reasons which led to the rapid drawing up of this strategic partnership’ the Bulgarian diplomat said.He also mentioned the agreement Romania-Bulgaria-Turkey regarding demining in the Black Sea, pointing out that these three states have a ‘shared responsibility’ for security in the area and have’ tipped the balance’ of forces in the Black Sea.‘Now we are talking not only about monitoring the marine mines but about freedom of navigation’ he said.In her turn, Romania’s ambassador to Bulgaria, Brandusa Predescu spoke about ‘an almost perfect timing’ between Bucharest and Sofia as regards the important geopolitical themes such as NATO and Ukraine.‘Romania and Bulgaria have been doing things together not only because they are friends, not only because they are neighbours, but because they see what is happening around, in the region, and our collaboration becomes something normal’ she said.Predescu also mentioned partnerships between the public media institutions from the two countries. ‘It means that we read and hear more information about what is happening in the other country, and this is very important. We don’t have to take for granted that we are neighbours and we know one another, so that we don’t need trustworthy information about each other, exact and verified’ completed the Romanian diplomat. According to the state secretary in the MFA, Daniela Gitman, the Romania – Bulgaria strategic partnership ‘was a landmark which focused not only the historical wealth, our intertwining past but it also shaped a consistent and structured direction for our relationship’.‘We all know that Bulgaria is our neighbour, our trustworthy ally, our strong friend, a country which thinks like we do as regards development  in the EU, in the region, in NATO and at international level’ she said.Gitman also mentioned that both countries celebrate, this year, twenty years since accession to NATO and seventeen since EU accession.Neighbourhood is a ‘matter of destiny’ but ‘ to be close friends, partners in the EU and NATO allies is a choice, our common choice’ stated, in her turn, the deputy minister for foreign affairs of Bulgaria, Elena Shekerletova.‘Our relationship has never been better, more confident and dynamic’ Shekerletova said.During the event, the directors of the Romanian and Bulgarian Diplomatic Institutes, Liliana Popescu-Birlan and, Tanya Mihaylova respectively, signed a cooperation agreement.