IKV Chairman Zeytinoğlu attended the reception hosted by Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Ankara Nadezhda Neynsky at Erimtan Museum on the occasion of Bulgaria’s EU Council Presidency on 9 January 2018. During the reception, Ambassador Neynsky made a speech concerning the Bulgarian Presidency’s priorities. After stating that Turkey is Bulgaria’s critical neighbour and NATO ally alongside being EU candidate, Ambassador Nayenski expressed Bulgaria would work for keeping all communication paths open with Turkey under its EU presidency. Ambassador Neynsky continued her speech expressing that the migration crisis and terrorist attacks showed the EU’s vulnerabilities to threats. And she expressed: “We are aware that the challenges we face today could only be solved through joint efforts and our common wish is to maintain good lives. In order to reach this objective together we need a common political vision, commitment and courage. We can build more stable Europe together”.

Along with Nayenski, Deputy Minister for EU Affairs Ali Şahin and Head of EU Delegation to Turkey Ambassador Christian Berger also delivered opening speeches. During his speech, Deputy Minister for EU Affairs Şahin attracted notice to the persuasiveness of the EU’s enlargement agenda. He expressed the concrete and constructive expectation from Bulgaria regarding Turkey’s membership bid. Deputy Minister for EU Affairs Şahin continued as follows: “It will be an important step to organise a Turkey-EU Summit for the purpose of discussing the current problems and re-establishing the mutual trust under the Bulgarian Presidency of the EU Council. It should not be forgotten that Turkey and the EU has a common future in a common region”.

Head of EU Delegation to Turkey Ambassador Christian Berger underlined the Bulgarian Presidency’s aim of “continuing to improve the EU dream” and the aim to sustain welfare and stability in Europe. Within this context, Berger attracted notice to the importance of economic development and social cohesion, stability, security as well as improvement of skills regarding digital economy. He indicated that the Delegation of the EU to Turkey would be in collaboration with Bulgaria for the achievement of the presidency objectives. Following the opening speeches, Bulgarian jazz musician Theodosii Spassov gave a concert.