Vigenin discussed Black Sea security and transport connectivity with Turkey's Ambassador to the EU

“Bulgaria, Turkey and Romania share a common responsibility for strengthening security and stability in the Black Sea region and must continue to work together to find lasting solutions,” said MEP Kristian Vigenin during a meeting with Turkey’s Ambassador to the European Union, H.E. Ms Yaprak Balkan.

The meeting in Brussels covered topics such as security in the Black Sea, the development of transport connectivity and opportunities for deepening bilateral cooperation.

Shipping security in the Black Sea

According to Vigenin, coordinated action is needed to tackle the threats to shipping security in the Black Sea and to guarantee safe maritime transport. He stressed that these risks also affect Bulgarian tourism.

Transport connectivity between Bulgaria and Turkey

The MEP also discussed with the Ambassador the opportunities for developing transport connectivity between Bulgaria and Turkey through projects under the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), such as the Yambol-Elhovo-Edirne railway line. The next EU Connectivity Summit, planned for March 2027, will be an important opportunity to promote regional cooperation and achieve concrete progress on infrastructure projects, Vigenin stressed.

Another topic of the discussion was the European Industrial Accelerator Act and the opportunities for strengthening competitiveness.

According to Vigenin, Bulgaria and Turkey maintain good relations built on long-standing good-neighbourliness, active political dialogue and shared interests. He expressed confidence that continued work on common priorities will contribute to further strengthening the bilateral partnership.