Minister Vigenin held talks with the newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
27 November 2013 News
Minister Kristian Vigenin met today with the newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sofia Tom van Oorschot. They discussed the bilateral relations with a focus on the cooperation in the field of economy, as well as current issues on the European agenda.
The government of Bulgaria is seriously working on improving the business climate, which is aimed at stimulating the interest of big foreign investors, including Dutch companies, Kristian Vigenin said at the meeting. All institutions that are involved in this issue, including the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, are collaborating in order to improve the business environment in our country and to guarantee the investments, he added.
Among the topics of conversation was the accession of Bulgaria to the Schengen area. "We are committed to work on specific issues that are making some Member States more skeptical about our membership in Schengen," said Minister Vigenin. According to him, the current situation with the Syrian refugees testifies that Bulgaria is a reliable border of the EU because almost all illegal immigrants trying to enter the country are being captured and brought up on the relevant procedures.
Minister Vigenin and Ambassador van Oorschot exchanged ideas regarding the European perspective for the Western Balkans and the Eastern Partnership. The Foreign Minister confirmed Bulgaria's support for the European choice of the Western Balkan countries, including the Republic of Macedonia. He informed Ambassador van Oorschot on the progress in the negotiations between the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria on the agreement on good neighbor relations and cooperation.
Regarding the forthcoming Eastern Partnership Summit in Vilnius, both expressed their disappointment at the decision of Ukraine. We must continue to encourage and support Ukraine because its association with the EU is of a strategic importance and this objective is worth considering certain compromises by the EU, Minister Kristian Vigenin said.