Bulgaria's President at the Three Seas Summit: Crises Highlight Urgent Need for Regional Connectivity

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev is taking part in the 10th edition of the Three Seas Initiative Summit, held in Warsaw. The initiative involves 13 European Union countries situated between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black Seas, with Ukraine and Moldova participating as associated members. Strategic partners include the European Commission, Germany, the United States, and Japan. This anniversary summit, hosted by Poland, focuses on promoting economic development and connectivity in Central and Eastern Europe.

During the summit, leaders from 10 countries in the region, including Bulgaria, are discussing ways to strengthen economic cooperation. With a population of more than 120 million, Central Europe contributes approximately 14% of the EU’s annual GDP, equating to over €1.8 trillion. However, infrastructure development across many countries in the region lags behind the EU average. Given its geographic location between three major seas, the region has the potential to become a vital economic and logistical hub. Enhancing investment in transportation networks, energy infrastructure, ports, railways, and airports is seen as essential to boosting competitiveness.

Alongside the summit, a business forum is being held to explore potential projects. President Radev, joined by Bulgarian business representatives, took part in the presidential panel of the forum. He underlined the critical role of the Three Seas Initiative in addressing current global and regional challenges.

Reflecting on recent events, Radev noted that few could have foreseen the scope of crises Europe would face over the past decade—including the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy crisis, and the war in Ukraine. These developments, he emphasized, highlight the urgent need for enhanced regional cooperation and improved connectivity in the areas of transport, energy, and digital infrastructure.