The Republic of Bulgaria will open its consulate in the Taraclia District of the Republic of Moldova. Head of state Rosen Plevneliev was reassured about this by Moldova's Prime Minister Pavel Filip, with whom he held a talk in New York within the framework of the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly.
The expansion of Bulgaria's diplomatic presence in Moldova will contribute to the improvement of the consular services rendered to the ethnic Bulgarian Moldovans, stir up the Bulgarian businesses' interest in investing in Moldova and, overall, will reveal to the Moldovan people the benefits from European integration, President Rosen Plevneliev said during the talk.
The head of state voiced the Bulgarian side's hopes that the territorial and administrative reforms carried out in the country will not bring about the closure of the Taraclia District, where historically the ethnic Bulgarian minority has settled. The two governments should also put maximum effort into launching the procedure for transforming Taraclia State University into a branch of a Bulgarian university, President Plevneliev pointed out. Bulgaria believes that only thus the integrity of the only Bulgarian university abroad will be preserved.
Bulgaria also expects that in the process of optimizing the school network in Moldova, the options to study the Bulgarian language will be retained and expanded, the head of state pointed out, expressing gratitude for the created opportunity to preserve and develop the culture and the cultural and linguistic identity of the ethnic Bulgarian community in Moldova.
For his part, Prime Minister Pavel Filip pointed out Taraclia State University opens up the opportunity for the Bulgarian ethnic minority to get familiarized with Bulgaria's progress following the country's accession to the EU.
The financial stability and the viability of the banking system, as well as the improved environment to attract more foreign direct investments, including from Bulgaria, are among the priorities of the Moldovan cabinet, Prime Minister Filip stressed and encouraged the Bulgarian business to open its eyes for Moldova.
President Plevneliev and Prime Minister Pavel Filip expressed the two countries' readiness to boost bilateral trade and investments. Bulgaria also has a rich experience in key economic sectors such as the banking system, energy, transport, and logistics, education, science and tourism.
Moldova can rely on Bulgaria's unconditional support on its path to EU accession. Furthermore, Bulgaria is ready to share the lessons learned in the process of its integration into the EU, President Rosen Plevneliev further reassured. In the head of state's words, Bulgaria's voice in the region will become ever more discernible amid the migration crisis, and this will enhance Bulgaria's role in the EU, including its role with regard to the EU's Eastern Partnership initiative. The head of state recalled that the EU accession of the countries from the Western Balkans and Moldova was in Bulgaria's strategic interest.
It also transpired during the talk that work is under way on the implementation of the Bulgarian president's official visit to Moldova.