In Sarajevo, President Plevneliev Named 2015 European Personality of the Year for Southeast and Central Europe

Sarajevo, July 3 (BTA Special Correspondent Asen Boyadjiev) -
During a working visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday,
Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev received the 2015 European
Personality of the Year in Southeast and Central Europe award
for his exceptional contribution to the stabilization and
improvement of relations among the European countries and
especially among Balkan neighbours.

"We believe in politics based on European values. We work for
goodneighbourly relations. We speed up cross-border cooperation.
 Cooperation among neighbours is a very powerful instrument,
especially in the Balkans. Each country in the region can and
must contribute to the attainment of our objective of peaceful,
democratic and prosperous Balkans," the head of State said,
addressing an international conference on "Regional Economic
Development and Cooperation".

He called for the establishment of a transport infrastructure,
energy and digital networks. "Only together we can guarantee
stability and development, because there is no development
without stability. Together we can enter new markets. Together
we can attract strategic investors. Together we can promote
tourism and manufacturing. Together we can fight terrorism,
natural disasters, isolation and poverty," the Bulgarian
President said in his statement.

Talking to journalists, he described the award he was presented
as "a breakthrough for Bulgarian foreign policy." "I am glad to
be the first Bulgarian President to receive this high honour,"
he added. Plevneliev said that the award goes to Bulgarian
foreign policy, to all Bulgarian institutions and to the entire
Bulgarian people.

Previous winners of the award include Polish President Bronislaw
 Komorowski, Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic, and Croatian
 President (2010-2015) Ivo Josipovic.

Within the framework of his one-day working visit, the Bulgarian
 head of State will confer with the Chairman of the Presidency
of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mladen Ivanic.