Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who visited Athens for the 2nd Meeting of the Bulgarian-Hellenic High Level Cooperation Council, on December 17, 2012. The meeting was attended by eleven members of each government, representing a number of ministries, including Foreign Affairs, Development, Transport and Education.
The two countries signed a series of bilateral agreements, including a memorandum of understanding between the two foreign ministries for exchanges of diplomatic staff; a programme for cooperation in education and culture; a joint statement on tourism; a protocol for cooperation in sports; an agreement regarding IT and technology and a memorandum of cooperation for improving the quality and safety in the production and distribution of agricultural products.
On his part, 
Borisov highlighted the possibility of furthering collaboration in the fields of energy, sport, culture and tourism. Both premiers expressed their support for the EU prospect of the Western Balkans, provided that rules of good neighbourly relations are respected. Receiving Borisov at the Presidential Mansion, President Karolos Papoulias stated that bilateral relations between the two countries are exemplary, while Borisov noted that trade relations between the two countries will benefit by the future completion of the Struma motorway, which is to connect the port of Thessaloniki with Bulgarian ports on the Black Sea.
Borisov highlighted the possibility of furthering collaboration in the fields of energy, sport, culture and tourism. Both premiers expressed their support for the EU prospect of the Western Balkans, provided that rules of good neighbourly relations are respected. Receiving Borisov at the Presidential Mansion, President Karolos Papoulias stated that bilateral relations between the two countries are exemplary, while Borisov noted that trade relations between the two countries will benefit by the future completion of the Struma motorway, which is to connect the port of Thessaloniki with Bulgarian ports on the Black Sea.
