Today Greek-Bulgarian relations are the driving force not only of Balkan cooperation but also of our common effort to make South-Eastern Europe a core priority for the European Union, said Nikolaos Voutsis, President of the Hellenic Parliament, in his speech before the National Assembly.

The President of the Hellenic Parliament has come to Bulgaria on an official visit at the invitation of Dimitar Glavchev, Speaker of the National Assembly. He made a speech in the plenary hall of the Bulgarian Parliament and talked to the Speaker of the National Assembly and MPs.

Greece will stand side by side with Bulgaria during the presidency of the Council of the EU and provide any support, emphasised Nikolaos Voutsis. During the visit of the parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee to Athens, planned for the end of October, we will exchange opinions on the EU policy focusing on the issues of the common foreign and security policy, and the common defence policy, which will be put on the table during the Bulgarian presidency, he explained.

We have to work towards strengthening the discussion on the EU accession of the Western Balkan states, said Nikolaos Voutsis. Thanks to our experience as EU member states, we can offer expertise to our neighbours and contribute to the rapid progress of the negotiations, he stated.

In his words, it is important that Bulgaria and Greece work together to prevent the EU from becoming a union of concentric circles and regional unions of states, with constant inequality and social disparities.

The President of the Hellenic Parliament thanked for the honour to address the Bulgarian MPs at the National Assembly.