“Work for More Economy and Protection of Bulgarians Abroad,” Ekaterina Zaharieva Tells Bulgarian Ambassadors
19 July 2019 News
In a welcoming speech by which she opened the traditional ambassadors’ conference in Sofia, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva called for cashing in on Bulgaria’s good political contacts abroad to achieve an economic spin-off and for continued care for Bulgarians abroad.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was established 140 years ago with a staff of 12. Regrettably, its staff size has not been changed since 1980, but we opened three new missions within two years and the opening of a fourth one is forthcoming. In the 1980s, the same staff as today serviced 75,000 Bulgarians abroad, and now in London alone we cater for as many Bulgarians as is the population of a city the size of Plovdiv. All this would not have been possible without your dedicated work, without your sense of serving a cause. Without the sense that our work, your work is a cause, we cannot possibly cope with the challenges,” said Ekaterina Zaharieva, addressing 66 Bulgarian ambassadors.
“We are posted abroad in order to assist Bulgarian citizens there and keep alive their link with Bulgaria, to facilitate the opening of more schools. I would greatly appreciate Bulgarian diplomats’ vigorous efforts to this end. This is the way to preserve the language, to preserve the knowledge of Bulgaria, the link with Bulgaria, hoping that some day some of these people will return here,” the Bulgarian Foreign Minister said further on.
She emphasised that during the first Bulgarian EU Council Presidency, which was successfully completed a year ago, Bulgarian diplomacy amassed a lot of experience, self-confidence and expertise, which must now be put to use in organising the first Bulgarian presidency of the Berlin Process next year jointly with the Republic of North Macedonia.
“The fact that there is no EU Member State that does not wish to consult Bulgarian diplomats, ministers and Government on the subject of the Western Balkans showed that the Bulgarian EU Council Presidency accomplished its mission. One proof of this is that Bulgaria succeeded in joining the Berlin Process,” Ekaterina Zaharieva emphasised. Among the priorities planned for the forthcoming joint presidency of the Berlin Process with the Republic of North Macedonia, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister singled out connectivity, reconciliation through education, and the environment.
Apart from the European integration of the Western Balkans, promoting relations with the countries of Asia, the Gulf and Africa are other key priorities of Bulgaria’s foreign policy that Minister Zaharieva singled out. “Seven of the G-20 countries are situated in Asia, and the traditionally good relations we have must be translated into closer economic contacts,” Ekaterina Zaharieva said. She also called for an invigoration of economic cooperation with the Gulf states, where Bulgaria opened two embassies, in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, over the last two years.
The Foreign Minister further laid an emphasis on Africa and relations with Sub-Saharan countries, which will be prioritised by the new European Commission, too, and where Bulgaria can play a more active role. “We have not been a colonial power, and a large part of the elite in those countries have completed their education in Bulgaria, they have government ministers who speak Bulgarian. Therefore, we have a lot more work to do and Bulgaria should focus on that continent. In the years of budget restraints Bulgaria was left with just three embassies in Sub-Saharan Africa: this is far from sufficient. We must think about opening trade representations and consulates general at least in the largest states there,” Ekaterina Zaharieva said.
The Foreign Minister described the calling into question of the established international legal order as one of the principal challenges facing the world today. Ekaterina Zaharieva commented that despite differences with the EU on certain issues, the EU and the US are strategic partners and simply must work together. “We have common shared values: human rights, the rule of law, democracy. The EU and the US are bound to be close,” Ekaterina Zaharieva said.
The traditional ambassadors’ conference was opened on the eve of 19 July, when the Bulgarian Diplomatic Service celebrated its 140th birthday. Bulgaria opened its first three diplomatic missions, in Belgrade, Bucharest and Constantinople, in 1879. At present, this country has more than 100 embassies and consulates general worldwide.
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