Sofia: Regatta principle is only correct principle for evaluating each country's progress towards EU

On the second day of his official visit to the Republic of Bulgaria, Minister of Foreign Affairs Srđan Darmanović spoke with President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria Tsveta Karayancheva.

Minister Darmanović expressed his satisfaction with the cooperation of the two assemblies, especially pointing out the significance of activities of the parliamentary friendships groups between Montenegro and Bulgaria. He thanked the Bulgarian Assembly for its expertise in European integration and praised its prominent role during the EU presidency. He expressed the expectation that Bulgarian parliamentarians will give strong support to the final phase of Montenegro's accession to the EU, which they also did in the end of the Euro-Atlantic integration process, reminding that the Bulgarian Assembly was among the first ones that ratified the Protocol on Montenegro's accession to NATO.

President Karayancheva said that this, as well as the recent visit of President of the Assembly Ivan Brajović, confirms the excellent relations between the two countries and that parliamentary cooperation in the coming period will provide full contribution to the further development of the overall relations. She assessed that the only correct approach to evaluating each country's progress towards the EU is the regatta principle and stressed that Montenegro will have Bulgaria's full support in achieving EU membership.

Minister Darmanović also met with Chairperson of the Bulgarian Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Policy Dzhema Grozdanova, President of the Parliamentary Friendship Group of Bulgaria and Montenegro Petar Petrov, and Chair of the Committee on European affairs and Oversight of the European funds Kristian Vigenin. The officials noted the strong support to the European perspective of Montenegro and the importance of strengthening the parliamentary dimension on its EU path.