The relations between Bulgaria and Turkiye—friendly, cooperative and steadily built over decades—are a guarantee for protecting not only national but also the external European borders in a way that serves as an example for Europe, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov said during a meeting with Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Rosen Zhelyazkov and Recep Erdoğan spoke during the Fourth Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

According to Premier Zhelyazkov, the strong cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkiye is crucial in combating illegal migration and protecting the common border, which also serves as an EU external border. He emphasized the need to expand the Kapitan Andreevo border checkpoint which handles massive heavy goods traffic on a daily basis.