Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen, the crisis in Europe and the eurozone’s future were key topics in the discussion between the National Assembly President Tsetska Tsacheva and the Speaker of the Parliament (Folketinget) of the Kingdom of Denmark, Mogens Lykketoft. The Speaker of the Danish Parliament is on a two-day visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the President of the National Assembly.

Tsetska Tsacheva expressed satisfaction with the good bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Denmark and underscored that the latter were based on trust and cooperation. She noted the membership of Bulgaria in the European Union was also contributing to the strengthening of the traditionally good, friendly relations between the two countries, while the visit of Mogens Lykketoft will help the deepening of the parliamentary cooperation.

The Parliament’s Speaker of the Kingdom of Denmark, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft, stated his visit to Bulgaria was very important to him, due to the fact that he had been personally involved in the enlargement of the European Union for many years. He recalled that precisely under a Danish Presidency of the EU were adopted the so called Criteria of Copenhagen for Membership in the EU that Bulgaria had to satisfy before it full membership to the EU. He underscored that the relations between the Danish and Bulgarian parliamentarians should occur not only within the European Parliament but at national level as well.

The President of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva gave high marks to the Danish Presidency of this year, pointing to the key issues of its agenda related to the economic stability of the eurozone. She recalled that after a serious debate the Fiscal Pact had been signed. She underscored that the Bulgarian Government had set as its priority to maintain the financial stability of the country and had adopted many legislative amendments to this end.

Answering questions from journalists after the meeting, Mogens Lykketoft has said that in the view of Denmark, Bulgaria had achieved the criteria for membership to Schengen. He further added that regarding the membership the policies of the EU should have to be applied, the same policies which we have adopted and introduced together. “The position of Denmark is very clear and I hope this matter to be solved very soon”, stated Mogen Lykketoft.

During his visit to Bulgaria, the Speaker of the Danish Parliament, Mogens Lykketoft, had meetings with the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, with the Vice-Presidents of the National Assembly, Georgi Pirinski and Ekaterina Mihaylova, with members of the Friendship group Bulgaria – Denmark and with members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense and the European Affairs and European Funds Oversight Committees. He is scheduled to have meetings with the Vice-Premier and Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov and the Governor of the Bulgarian National Bank, Ivan Iskrov.

On October 31, 2012 the Speaker of the Danish Parliament is to visit the city of Plovdiv and confer with the city’s Mayor Ivan Totev.