COMMENTS TO THE PRESS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE FOLLOWING THE OFFICIAL TALKS WITH PRESIDENT PARVANOV
COMMENTS TO THE PRESS BY PRESIDENT MCALEESE FOLLOWING THE OFFICIAL TALKS WITH PRESIDENT PARVANOV, SOFIA, WEDNESDAY 25 MARCH 2009
First of all let me say what a real pleasure it is for me to be here today on the first visit of an Irish Head of State to Bulgaria. The fact that the visit is happening is in itself an indication of the transformation that has taken place in the relationship between Ireland and Bulgaria in recent years.
I would like to thank President Parvanov for his warm welcome to Sofia. When the President visited Ireland in 2005, Bulgaria was not yet a member of the European Union and was still working towards meeting the rigorous accession criteria. It was a particular pleasure this morning to meet him as the President of a fellow Member State and of a full and equal partner in our shared Union.
We had an interesting exchange on a range of issues on the European agenda, above all, on how the Union can respond in a united, coherent and effective way to the current global financial crisis.
We value in particular the perspective Bulgaria brings to our understanding of the situation in the Western Balkans and in the Black Sea region. We know Bulgaria has a key role to play in ensuring Europe’s energy security. I was interested to get the President’s assessment of the progress Bulgaria is making as a new Member State and how we might share the benefits of our experiences. We also discussed the Lisbon Treaty. I was glad to take the opportunity to thank President Parvanov for Bulgaria’s support for the Irish Government’s approach to finding a way forward with the Lisbon Treaty.
We reviewed the development of bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Ireland, welcoming the growth over the past five years in trade and investment, as well as in the number of Irish tourists coming to Bulgaria. We welcomed the development of official contacts, both at a bilateral level and in the context of our joint membership of the European Union.
My official engagements continue today and I am looking forward to my meetings with the Chairman of the National Assembly, Mr Pirinski, and with Prime Minister Stanishev.
Tomorrow morning I will open a conference devoted to Ireland and Bulgaria at Sofia University. Leading Bulgarian and Irish academics will review our relationship and offer new prospects for future research and collaboration.
I am pleased to have been invited tomorrow to open an exhibition by the famous Bulgarian photographer Ivo Hadjimishev. The exhibition is about the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland which occupy a special place in Irish literature and culture. The exhibition is evidence of the exciting growth in cultural exchanges between Ireland and Bulgaria that are life-enhancing and mutually enriching.
A significant business delegation from Ireland has joined the visit. I do not need to stress the importance of this for improving our economic relations and ensuring the prosperity of both countries, particularly at this time of great global turmoil.
Later tomorrow afternoon I shall visit a centre for autism in Sofia which was established with Irish support and which is run by Sofia Municipality. This is something that is personally close to my heart. I believe that what distinguishes the European Union in world affairs is not the way it treats its most successful citizens but how it cherishes its weakest and most vulnerable.
On Friday I will have the opportunity before I leave to see some of the country outside Sofia. I am looking forward to visiting the historic monastery at Bachkovo and the old town in Plovdiv, which encapsulates the waves of civilisation that have crossed Bulgaria.
Once again my thanks to President Parvanov for this opportunity to visit Bulgaria and to cement the bonds of friendship between Ireland and Bulgaria.