Bulgarian PM tells Balkans to solve its own problems

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said on Friday some Western Balkan countries need to resolve their differences, without waiting for European help.

"You cannot expect Europe's aid at this point; Europe has its own problems and fears," he said.

Borisov was speaking during an official visit to Bosnia, where he met the chairman of the country's Council of Ministers, Denis Zvizdic, on Friday.

At a joint news conference, Borisov said the fate of the Western Balkans was in the hands of its political elite.

"It is nice that we keep the destinies of the Western Balkans in our hands, while Brexit is on one side and the Western Balkans have natural resources and incredible facilities on the other. We need to leave the past and look forward," he said.

Borisov also urged the countries to solve existing problems as soon as possible, without leaving them for after EU membership.

"We cannot say that we will accept ... existing problems and solve them when we enter the EU; we have to solve them today," he insisted.

Meanwhile, Zvizdic, responding to a question about radicalism in Bosnia, denied there were any kinds of “camps or bases” in the country.

"This is [from] the official report of our intelligence agencies," he added.

Zvizdic said in the past two years no Bosnian citizen had traveled to Syria to join the conflict there.

"Forty-six persons returning from Syria are under the control of the competent state organs. There are no camps or bases related to radicalism or terrorism, and there will not be. It is false information," he said.

Borisov also visited the EUFOR base in Sarajevo, where he met Bulgarian troops stationed there.