Bulgaria and Morocco have cultivated excellent bilateral relations, dating back to more than half a century ago, which are a stable basis for future cooperation in a lot of sectors. This is what Vice-president Margarita Popova said in Rabat at the meeting held with Abdelilah Benkirane, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Morocco. The Vice-president has been on an official visit to Morocco since 17 December.
In Margarita Popova’s words, Morocco’s advanced status in its relations with the EU proves the country’s strategic role in the region and is a condition for strengthening the cooperation between the Kingdom and the EU member states, including Bulgaria. “The current visit reconfirms the traditionally good relations between Bulgaria and Morocco,” the Vice-president said. Margarita Popova emphasized the potential for the development of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries and highlighted the opportunities for strengthening the relations in the social and economic sector, culture, science, education, and also in the sphere of migration policy. The Bulgarian Vice-president emphasized the necessity to speed up the process of coordination of the Social Security Agreement between the two Social Ministries of the two countries and said that in January 2015 the document will be discussed by experts and later signed.
Margarita Popova further highlighted the opportunities for exchange of experience and strengthening the cooperation in the healthcare sector. Science, education and culture were also highlighted as sectors that have a potential for development.
At the meeting the Vice-president lauded the reforms initiated by the King of Morocco Mohammed VI in 2011 when the new Constitution was adopted. “Your country is a model of democratization and modernization in the region,” Popova said and highlighted the democratic principles that underlie the constitution. It creates the basis for conducting a judicial reform, for introducing rules for decentralization and regionalization of the country, and also for guaranteeing and defending human rights. “Morocco successfully preserved its stability, which is important not only for your country, but also for Europe,” Vice-president Margarita Popova addressed Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane.
“We welcome the further development of the relations with any friendly country, and Bulgaria is one of these,” the Prime Minister of Morocco said for his part. Abdelilah Benkirane pointed out that despite the difficulties, the country is pursuing a stable and predictable policy.
On the first day of her visit to the Kingdom of Morocco, Margarita Popova held talks with Rachid Talbi Alami, president of the House of Representatives (Lower House) of the Parliament of Morocco and Mohamed Cheikh Biadilah, president of the House of Councilors (Upper House). At the meeting the Bulgarian Vice-president encouraged the efforts of the kingdom to strengthen the role and participation of women in power. “Some policies are much more successfully carried out if they are pursued by women,” Margarita Popova commented.
In Rabat Vice-president Margarita Popova was welcomed with an official ceremony. Popova laid a wreath in front of the Mausoleum of Mohammed V and paid tribute to the memory of his son – King Hasan II. The Vice-president voiced her gratitude for the contribution of the two to the development of the relations between Bulgaria and Morocco.
On 18 December the program of the Vice-president includes holding meetings with Abdeslam Abudrar, chief of Morocco’s central body for the prevention of corruption. Later today Margarita Popova will hold talks with Bulgaria’s Honorary Consul in Casablanca Ali Shraibi. The Vice-president will hold meetings with compatriots in the city and Moroccan citizens who graduated in Bulgaria.