Bulgaria to host Central and Eastern Europe – China ’16 + 1′ summit in 2018
Bulgaria will host the seventh Meeting of Heads of State and Government of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and China in 2018, the government press service said on November 27, saying that agreement on this had been reached at this year’s summit in Budapest.
“I am grateful to Chinese premier Li Keqiang, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, to each of my colleagues for their support for Bulgaria to host the next summit on the 16 + 1 initiative,” Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borissov said.
“Investments from China are precisely what I have always said will be beneficial for the Balkans – infrastructure projects,” Borissov said.
He said that this would help to make it possible to “start the projects that we have been talking about”
He said that on December 6 and 7, there would be discussions on financing Transport Corridor number 8. China was very active in talking about investments, Borissov said, adding that he also had discussed the matter with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras.
Borissov held talks with Hungarian head of goverment Orban, saying that they had discussed Cohesion Policy, and the Eastern Partnership.
“We agreed that we should have an agreement like Brexit with Turkey alone. That would settle all controversial topics. We all know that Turkey will not join the EU,” Borissov said.
He said that a high speed Budapest – Skopje – Sofia – Istanbul train could be discussed with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. With joint efforts, real results could be achieved, the Bulgarian Prime Minister said.
Borissov said that the coming year would be significant for Bulgaria in view of the first Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
“The high degree of mobilization and motivation of the government stemming from the organization of the Presidency will also contribute to the preparation and provision of a successful hosting of the Seventh Summit in Sofia,” Borissov said.
