Turkish FM Fidan kicks off 4-day Albania, Bulgaria, Romania tour
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is kicking off a four-day official tour of Albania, Bulgaria and Romania, Turkish diplomatic sources said Sunday.
The Turkish top diplomat will meet with his counterparts to discuss “bilateral relations as well as current regional and global developments,” the sources added.
During his visit, Fidan will also meet with Turkish businesspeople and representatives of Turkish communities in these countries.
The Balkans, in general, are a priority for Türkiye not only from the political, economic and geographical perspectives but also due to its historical, cultural and human ties with the region.
In recent years, the Balkans region has become an attractive market for Turkish investors with its qualified workforce, business-friendly investment environment and tax and financial incentives.
Türkiye, Bulgaria and Romania are also working together to clear the Black Sea of floating mines.
The trio set up a task group earlier this month to reduce shipping risks as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to endanger their territorial waters.
The Russian navy mined Ukraine’s Black Sea coastline in the early stages of the conflict nearly two years ago. Some of the mines have since drifted into the waters of the three countries, endangering shipping and complicating Ukraine’s efforts to break through a Russian naval blockade.
The initiative, which will have a rotating command structure, will likely start operating by May, according to the Bulgarian Defense Ministry.
