Europe can cope with challenges if it steps out of its comfort zone, said the Bulgarian president

DELPHI – Europe can tackle challenges and strengthen its position in a highly contested world if it recognizes the significance of the issues, raises its level of ambition, and takes concrete actions by stepping out of its comfort zone. This was stated by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev at the tenth annual meeting of the Delphi Economic Forum in Greece, as quoted by the press office of the head of state.

This is my ninth year as president, and I would say that it has never been more difficult to talk about the future, especially when it comes to security, noted the Bulgarian head of state. According to him, “the dynamics in geopolitical processes are accelerating at a pace we have not seen before.” He said that the security architecture is collapsing, long-established business models are cracking, and new large-scale tariffs are shaking the markets. Stagnation has taken hold in the leading European economies, Radev added.

I would like to emphasize some key words that reflect the European Union’s ability to meet the challenges of today, to emerge stronger tomorrow, and to strengthen its role on the global stage – security, strategic autonomy, competitiveness, innovation, artificial intelligence, and above all, unity, the president emphasized.

According to him, the European Union needs military strength and a simplified decision-making process, and the accumulation of weapons does not necessarily lead to defense capabilities. We need to have a clear political vision and a common defense strategy, said the president. Radev emphasized that the Bulgarian defense industry is well-known and valued worldwide.

Our common task today is to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine and pave the way for sustainable peace, ultimately using the power of diplomacy, the president stated. Another pillar contributing to our strategic autonomy is energy security and diversification, he added.
Every country in the Balkans has its own perspective on history, but one of the most important historical lessons is that after centuries of rivalries and contradictions, we have finally realized that cooperation is a much better choice than wars, said President Radev.

In Delphi, he met with his Greek counterpart President Constantinos Tassoulas. In recent years, Bulgaria and Greece have elevated bilateral cooperation in energy and infrastructure connectivity to a new level, was the common position of the two presidents. They were unanimous that Bulgaria and Greece share a common mission to strengthen stability in the Balkans and promote their economic development.

President Tassoulas highlighted the importance of the project to build a multimodal transport corridor connecting Greek ports in the Aegean Sea with Bulgarian ports in Burgas, Ruse, and Varna. President Radev expressed the country’s interest in participating in the management of the ports in Alexandroupolis and Kavala. (April 9)