Bulgarian President Visiting Estonia
The president of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, is in Estonia on an official visit from September 12-13.
One reason for the visit is that Estonia and Bulgaria will co-preside over the EU presidency in 2018. Plevneliev's schedule includes meetings with the Estonian president and prime minister, and visits to the e-Governance Academy, the Estonian Chamber of Commerce, the IKT Demo Center and the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence.
In their meeting today, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves offered support for Bulgaria's bid to join the Schengen zone and the OECD.
"Your homework sets an example,“ Ilves said in a press release.
Ilves added: "Estonia and Bulgaria, two EU border countries, have been similarly-thinking and acting allies on important European issues. During the last financial crisis we both demonstrated responsibility, which could serve as a role model for many.“
The two presidents also discussed the Eastern Partnership in light of the upcoming EU summit on that issue in Vilnius, as well as Balkan developments and integration with the EU, recognizing Serbia's advancements.
"With regard to peace and security in the Balkans, with its complicated history, it is particularly essential that the EU candidate country, if it continues political and economic reforms, must know that the EU's door is open to it,“ Ilves said.
The Estonian and Bulgarian foreign ministers met earlier this summer.