With Bulgaria’s Accession to EU, Ukraine’s Eurointegration Will Have More Champions

Mrs. Liubov Nepop, Charge d’affaires of the Embassy of Ukraine in Bulgaria

Liubov Nepop graduated the National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv. She worked at the Europe and America Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine; the Embassy of Ukraine in Hungary; the Political Department of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. She is in Bulgaria since August 2004.

Mrs. Nepop, Bulgaria and Ukraine have traditional close relations. In the past 15 years the two countries have been pursuing the same strategic foreign policy course. On this basis, how is the bilateral dialogue evolving and what are the practical results?
Indeed, the relations between the two countries traditionally have a friendly character. They are rooted in history, when the Ukrainians in the Polish-Hungarian troops of King Vladislav together with the Bulgarians fought the Turks in the Battle of Varna in the 15th century; when the two peoples fought shoulder-to-shoulder for the liberation of the Bulgarian land in the Russo-Turkish War; when 3rd Ukrainian Front took part in the liberation of Bulgaria from fascism.

Our peoples had many things in common in their history and this naturally reflected on the formation of the worldview of Ukrainians and Bulgarians, which also links the two countries.
Ukraine became the homeland of the largest Bulgarian diaspora in the world. Perhaps this too is not an accidental fact but yet another evidence of our closeness.
I am pleased to note that Bulgaria was among the first countries, which responded for the restoration of Ukraine’s independence and already on December 5, 1991 recognized it as a sovereign state. On December 13 the same year the Ukraine-Bulgaria diplomatic relations were established, whose 15th anniversary we now mark.

The common strategic orientation of the foreign policy line of Ukraine and Bulgaria towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration became a major ground for deepening the bilateral dialogue and the development of cooperation. Last year, during the official visit of Bulgaria’s Vice Premier and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Ivailo Kalfin to Ukraine, the two countries signed an intergovernmental memorandum on partnership and enhancement of cooperation in the field of European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Recently, on November 10, 2006, consultations were held between the deputy foreign ministers of the two countries, which were dedicated to the bilateral relations and the issues of European integration, including practical steps to implement the memorandum.
What is important to Ukraine is the concrete interaction with Bulgaria as a member of the European Union as of January 1, 2007, both in the context of the realization of our Eurointegration course and from the viewpoint of invigorating the bilateral cooperation by using the new opportunities that open up with the EU accession of your country.
I can say the same of the Ukraine-Bulgaria dialogue on the issues of Euro-Atlantic integration.

How do you see the Bulgaria-Ukraine cooperation in the regional politics?
Ukraine sees Bulgaria as a reliable partner in the Black Sea region and South East Europe.
The South East European aspect of our interaction focuses on the elements of security, including peacekeeping, the economic possibilities, the humanitarian dimension.
The fact that Ukraine and Bulgaria are part of the Black Sea basin, which is going to play an increasingly important geopolitical role, not only creates prerequisites for enhancing our cooperation but requires from us enhanced cooperation in the region. In all spheres.

This is doubtlessly the measure of security. The provision of Black Sea security today is a key issue, which is dealt with by the Black Sea Naval Cooperation Task Group, BLACKSEAFOR, our two countries being members of it.

Also the economic and techno-scientific cooperation, the implementation of concrete projects on bilateral basis or within the framework of the regional organizations, the Black Sea Economic Cooperation in particular. In this context, I want to point out specifically the activity of the Ukrainian-Bulgarian intergovernmental committee for techno-scientific cooperation, whose last session was held in May this year in Sofia. One of the lines of its work is the interaction between the academic institutions of Ukraine and Bulgaria in the implementation of a number of joint projects for the exploration of the Black Sea aquatoria.
I must mention the good prospects for the two countries’ interaction in the regional energy projects. Today, as we see, energy is becoming a key issue. We hope Ukrainian companies will be able to take part in projects such as the construction of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis and Burgas-Vliora oil pipelines, the Nabucco gas pipeline. They could participate as subcontractors. We are also interested in participating in the modernization of Kozloduy NPP.

The regional dimension of our relations is supplemented by the partnership of Ukraine and Bulgaria as Danube countries. The Danube Commission and the Danube Cooperation Process – within the framework of these regional forums there is constant dialogue in this context. At the same time, I want to point out that the issues related to average prevention in the Danube, improvement of the system of mutual information and possible mutual aid need further attention.

Another point I want to bring up is the establishment in May 2006 of the international organization for democracy and economic development GUAM, comprising Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Moldova. The organization is open to interaction with other forums and individual countries. I am convinced GUAM has prospects for closer contacts with Bulgaria in the implementation of projects in the spheres of economy, transport, energy, in the issues of counteracting terror and the fight against organized crime.

What is the state of the trade-economic cooperation and what are the prospects for its development? What is being done to promote business contacts?
The trade-economic relations between the two countries are on the upward trend. Last year the trade turnover reached nearly USD 700 million.
According to data of the State Institute of Statistics of Ukraine, the Ukraine-Bulgaria foreign trade exchange in January-August 2006 amounted to USD 450 million, which is 44% up compared to the same period in 2005.

The export of Ukrainian goods to Bulgaria in the said period amounts to USD 371 million and is nearly 14% up. The import of goods from Bulgaria amounts to about USD 80 million, 30% up.
In June 2004 Ukraine and Bulgaria signed a Protocol for mutual access of goods to the markets of the two countries. Its benefits will be felt after Ukraine joins the World Trade Organization. Then we will be able to cut down the customs duty on some items, which in turn will increase the volume of Bulgarian goods on the Ukrainian market.

The prospects for trade-economic cooperation consist above all in stimulating the direct contacts between the entrepreneurs and the regions of the two countries. For the establishment of such contacts it is important to use the opportunities offered by twinned towns and regions, the participation of entrepreneurs from both countries in the fairs held in Ukraine and Bulgaria. For a couple of years in a row, Bulgarian businessmen take part in the exhibition Bulgaria Back In Ukraine, held in Kyiv. Ukrainian businessmen show a growing interest to participate in the annual Plovdiv Fair.
We would like to have closer cooperation with Bulgaria in the field of energy and transport.

The military equipment cooperation holds out good prospects too. Presently a bilateral agreement in this sphere is under preparation.
It would be in the interest of both countries to implement joint Ukrainian-Bulgarian hi-tech innovation projects, in particular in the field of aircraft building, which would enable the marketing of AN-140, AN-148 in the Republic of Bulgaria and in other countries in the Balkan region.

I think Ukrainian undertakers could participate in the implementation of the National Strategy for Integrated Development of the Infrastructure of Bulgaria, which was adopted this year and is a doubtless success in the work of the government of your country.

Are any specific steps taken for a more intensive cooperation in the sphere of tourism and what are they?
Tourism is an important area of our cooperation and I am sure it holds out great prospects. Within the framework of the intergovernmental committee for trade-economic cooperation operates an interdepartmental Ukrainian-Bulgarian working group on the issues of tourism. During the latest, fifth session of the intergovernmental committee this group had its fourth meeting.

Presently in Ukraine a Program for development of the Ukraine-Bulgaria cooperation in the field of tourism is under preparation for the period 2006-2010, aimed at deepening the bilateral contacts in this sphere, raising the efficiency of tourism cooperation between the two countries, maintenance of current exchange of information on the tourism-recreation potential and the historic-cultural heritage of Ukraine and Bulgaria. This program is prepared in implementation of the Agreement between the Government of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria on Cooperation in the Field of Tourism, signed in 1996.

Comparative analysis of the statistical data for the first nine months of 2006 shows an improvement in the indices of tourist exchange between Ukraine and Bulgaria. According to data of Bulgaria’s State Agency for Tourism, the number of holidaymakers from Ukraine in January-September 2006 compared to that in the same period last year has grown by almost 14 percent. In the said period Bulgaria was visited by 81,708 Ukrainian tourists. A certain growth in the number of Bulgarian tourists is observed too (Ukraine was visited by 14,574 Bulgarian tourists).

I would like to mention that this September-October the Embassy, in conjunction with the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced a competition among the citizens of Bulgaria for an essay on Ukraine and the Ukraine-Bulgaria relations on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries. The three winners were awarded a trip to Kyiv. I hope this will be yet another drop in our efforts to intensify tourism contacts.

Ukraine and Bulgaria are two wonderful countries, with beautiful scenery, abundant historical monuments, capable of coming up to the expectations of even the most exigent tourists as they have a seaside, mountains, unsurpassed paragons of the architectural art, and relishing cuisine. In short, everything a tourist needs to enjoy his trip.
The Ukrainians, as statistics shows, know Bulgaria as a tourist destination a little better.
Our aim today is to disclose Ukraine to the Bulgarian tourists.

What are your expectations in relation to Bulgaria’s full membership in EU?
Ukraine sees Bulgaria’s full membership in the European Union as of January 1, 2007 as a positive fact, including for the development of our bilateral relations.
We hope with Bulgaria’s accession to EU, Ukraine’s eurointegration will have more champions.

Next year, to replace the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which expires in 2007, a new Agreement has to drawn, which will determine the further development of the EU-Ukraine relations. We are striving for an Association Agreement and we shall rely on the support of Bulgaria as an EU member.