Fidan urges cooperation in Eastern Mediterranean at Sofia talks
SOFIA
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis in Sofia on June 10, calling for a responsible approach to regional issues and saying the Eastern Mediterranean should be an area of cooperation rather than tension.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit of Heads of State and Government, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Diplomatic sources said the two ministers discussed Türkiye-Greece relations and regional cooperation.
Fidan said a draft maritime jurisdiction bill currently before the Turkish parliament was a matter of domestic legislation, stressing that Türkiye respected international law and good neighborly relations.
He said Ankara expected the same respect from all its neighbors and described as regrettable statements made by “certain circles” based on what he called incomplete information about the draft.
Such remarks could harm bilateral relations, Fidan said, calling for a more careful approach.
He also said steps that could damage regional stability or target Türkiye should be avoided.
Fidan also met Denis Bećirović, chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its Bosniak member, on the sidelines of the summit.
In a separate interview with the Bulgarian News Agency, Fidan said increasing natural gas transmission capacity from Türkiye to Bulgaria was of “strategic importance” for both bilateral ties and Eastern Europe’s energy security.
He said Türkiye’s role in supporting Bulgaria’s energy supply security had become more important after disruptions in regional gas flows in recent years.
Existing infrastructure was not enough to meet rising demand, Fidan said, adding that further investment on the Bulgarian side would be needed.
He said the two countries were working to update the BOTAŞ-Bulgargaz agreement on a “win-win” basis and aimed to advance a wider energy cooperation framework covering gas infrastructure and interconnections.
Fidan also pointed to the Green Energy Transmission and Trade project involving Türkiye, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan and Georgia, saying feasibility studies were expected to begin soon.
The two countries are also seeking to finalize new electricity interconnector projects that could increase transmission capacity by 700 to 1,100 megawatts, he said.
On transport, Fidan cited plans for a second railway crossing and the Black Sea Highway Project as part of efforts to strengthen regional connectivity.
He said Türkiye and Bulgaria were closely aligned as NATO allies on border security, early warning systems and intelligence sharing.
Fidan also referred to cooperation in the Black Sea, including mine-clearing work with Bulgaria and Romania.
On EU ties, Fidan reiterated that Türkiye’s membership process remained a strategic priority for Ankara, saying progress would be in the interest of both sides.
He said bilateral trade with Bulgaria was approaching the $10 billion target, supported by border modernization, transport projects and growing investment interest.
Fidan also said more than 2.8 million Bulgarian tourists visited Türkiye in 2025.
He described Bulgaria as a gateway to European markets and Türkiye as a transit hub linking Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia and Africa.