Sofia, 20 December 2021 (MIA) – We expect the first EU intergovernmental conferences with North Macedonia and Albania to be scheduled as soon as possible, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Bulgarian counterpart Kiril Petkov during a meeting in Sofia on Monday. He added that Greece’s position, amid growing tension, is that everyone will benefit from the Western Balkans moving closer to the EU. “Good-neighborliness is crucial. We expect intergovernmental conferences with North Macedonia and Albania to be scheduled as soon as possible,” Mitsotakis said, stressing that Greece has always been a lever for regional progress and expects Bulgaria to support this mutual goal. Mitsotakis, who is paying a visit to Sofia, also underlined that Greece and Bulgaria are more than neighbors, they are allies and partners that respect international law. The two countries’ strategic partnership, he added, is crucial for the stability of the region. Mitsotakis and Petkov, MIA reports from Sofia, also talked about close bilateral relations, energy and infrastructure projects of mutual interest, the implementation of EU cross-border projects, the construction of the interconnector, as well as migration issues. Moreover, the Greek PM stressed that Athens is willing to assist Bulgaria in speeding up the vaccination process. According to Bulgarian National Bank data, direct Greek investments in Bulgaria stand at EUR 2.57 billion as of 31 December 2020.