I expect that from now on there will be a positive development in all spheres of the bilateral cooperation between Bulgaria and the Russian Federation. Hopefully the two governments will use the positive momentum of this visit with regard to the forthcoming visit of the Bulgarian Prime Minister in Russia. This is what Head of State Rumen Radev said during the joint statements made with his counterpart Vladimir Putin in Sochi. After the end of the statements the two Presidents held a meeting in private.
The basic aim of the Bulgarian President’s visit is to resume the top-level political dialogue and restore the trust between Bulgaria and Russia. “I know it is difficult to speak about trust after three large-scale projects have been suspended, in conditions of a sometimes bitter confrontation between the EU and NATO, on the one hand, and Russia on the other. In conditions of sanctions, restrictive regimes and also short-sighted political talking in the past years,” President Radev said. However, he pointed out that his visit represents the first decisive step in this direction.
“Together with President Putin we made a strategic review of our relations. We discussed all opportunities, all good traditions since we enjoy a really enormous potential in all sorts of spheres – economy, trade, particularly in the energy sector, tourism, culture, education and science, transport,” Rumen Radev said. The Head of State identified as a positive sign the declared intentions to resume some of the suspended projects. “To me, this is a sign of realism and a responsible attitude, which our two countries need,” Rumen Radev said.
At the meeting it was confirmed that the 16th session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation will be convened, at which concrete projects will be outlined. “Of course, there are still problems which we will yet have to discuss. We still have to work on them until we come up with mutually-acceptable solutions for both countries,” Rumen Radev said.
“I consider Radev’s visit a positive sign for restoring the full-format Bulgarian-Russian relations,” President Putin said, for his part. He noted that President Radev’s visit is made at the invitation of the Russian side within the events related to celebrating the 140th year of Bulgaria’s liberation from the Ottoman rule. “This is a significant event both for Bulgaria and Russia. During the talks, which were very detailed, I introduced President Radev to our priorities regarding the bilateral relations and to Russia’s approach to international problems and issues,” the Russian Head of State said.
The two presidents also discussed issues related to the sphere of international security. The Bulgarian Head of State emphasized that our country has an interest in working to establish a dialogue and promote understanding because “nobody needs the restoration of the Cold War, least of all Europe and Russia.”
President Radev reiterated his invitation to President Putin to visit our country in the year which marks 140 years since the liberation of Bulgaria as a result of the Russo-Turkish liberation war.