Ambassador Hensel: Poland Is Keeping Close Watch on Ukraine

The crisis in Ukraine has been a cause for concern for the Polish government ever since its onset, according to Leszek Hensel, Ambassador of Poland to Bulgaria.

Hensel's term in office in Bulgaria expires at the end of July.

Poland's Ambassador to Bulgaria expressed the concerns of his country over the events on Kiev's landmark Independence Square (Maidan) and the Crimean Peninsula and the activities in Eastern Ukraine.

Hensel, as cited by the Bulgarian National Radio, suggested that the meeting in Warsaw organized by Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski had shown the serious worries of Eastern European countries over the events in Ukraine.

"Eastern Europe feels most threatened by the conflict that has been unfurling in the eastern part of Ukraine because all countries participating in NATO and the collective defense mechanism believed that it would help stabilize the region" he said.

Hensel drew attention to the growing interest of Polish businesses in Bulgaria, stressing that Polish investments in the country were increasing.

He emphasized that Polish investments in Bulgaria amounted to EUR 130 M, compared to a rate of EUR 2 M of Bulgarian investments in Poland.

He also claimed that Polish people were rediscovering Bulgaria, adding that the number of Polish tourists in Bulgaria stood at around 20 000 and around 4000 Polish citizens had bought property in the country.