NEWS

President: Bulgaria and Lebanon Share a Common Aspiration to Activate the Dialogue between Institutions and Business Representatives

Bulgaria stands in solidarity with Lebanon's efforts to support peace, security and stabilisation of the Middle East, which are also of utmost importance to the EU, Radev says after a meeting in Sofia with his Lebanese counterpart

Bulgaria and Lebanon share a common aspiration to intensify the dialogue between the institutions of the two countries and between business representatives. The visit of the President of the Republic of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun, to Sofia on the occasion of the upcoming celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations is an expression of both the friendly relations between Bulgaria and Lebanon and provides an opportunity to bolster bilateral partnership in all areas of mutual interest. This was stated by President Rumen Radev, who held a session in Sofia today with his Lebanese counterpart General Joseph Aoun. The President of Lebanon is on an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Bulgarian head of state.

In his statement after the plenary talks, Radev emphasised that President Aoun's official visit is taking place at a dynamic and complex time in the regional and global context. According to the Bulgarian head of state, the unprecedented escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the profound changes taking place in regional security architecture highlight the importance of Lebanon in ensuring political and economic stability in the region. The Bulgarian President pointed out General Aoun's personal efforts to revert the country to the path of peace, prosperity and security as extremely important for the entire region.

Bulgaria stands in solidarity with Lebanon's efforts to support peace, security and stabilisation of the Middle East, which are of utmost importance to the EU, Radev also emphasised. In this regard, Bulgaria can play an important role in the recovery and economic development of Lebanon, he pointed out and confirmed our country's readiness to support Lebanon in strengthening the institutional partnership with the European Union­­­ at the upcoming EU-Lebanon Association Council.

As particularly promising areas for deepening bilateral relations, the two presidents pointed to the economy and trade, the promotion of mutual investments, the development of high technologies and artificial intelligence, culture and education, including the training of military medics. Radev and Aoun noted that there is significant potential for upgrading the partnership beyond traditional niches of cooperation and significantly increasing bilateral economic exchange, which reaches EUR 175 million.

The two also agreed on the need to update the legal framework that regulates bilateral cooperation, and an appeal was made to the governments of both countries to establish a joint commission for economic, scientific, and technical cooperation, which would create a stable institutional framework and strengthen pragmatism in the partnership between Bulgaria and Lebanon.

For all this to happen, we need to create better conditions for people and businesses on both sides, so that they can communicate much more easily. Given that, our expectation is that the direct air route between Beirut and Sofia will be restored, Rumen Radev added.

President Aoun emphasised the historical ties in the relations between the two countries and the two friendly peoples and recalled that his visit aims to outline specific future dimensions for energising bilateral partnership, for which the updating of the legal and regulatory framework is also necessary. He also noted the need to restore the direct flight between Sofia and Beirut, which would facilitate communication between business, tourism and bilateral cooperation in various fields. The opportunity for Lebanon to use Bulgaria's experience in military medicine was also highlighted by President Aoun.

Earlier in the day, Joseph Aoun was welcomed by Rumen Radev with a ceremony in St. Alexander Nevsky Square, where he paid tribute to the Monument to the Unknown Soldier. The two heads of state held a one-on-one meeting, after which they chaired plenary talks between the official delegations of the two countries.