NEWS

The Head of State Presented the Ambassadors of Italy and Morocco in Bulgaria with High State Awards

At a ceremony in the coat-of-arms hall at 2 Dondukov street President Rosen Plevneliev awarded the Stara Planina order first class to Marco Conticelli, ambassador of the Republic of Italy to Bulgaria. The diplomat received the high award for his contribution to the development and strengthening of the Bulgarian-Italian relations.

Within his term in office, Ambassador Marco Conticelli put efforts in strengthening the traditional relations based on friendship, mutual respect and trust between the two countries, President Rosen Plevneliev said at the ceremony in the coat-of-arms hall at 2 Dondukov street.

The Head of State highlighted the diplomat’s contribution to attracting and strengthening the Italian business and financial circles’ interest in Bulgaria, which also contributed to reaffirming Italy’s role and place among Bulgaria’s most important trade partners and investors. “The relations between our two countries – political, economic, cultural and scientific are particularly active and dynamic. Pooling efforts, we managed to widen the scope of these relations and make them more dynamic. The top-level visits made in the past years, which strengthened the basis of our cooperation, confirm this fact,” President Plevneliev added.  

“President Segio Mattarella’s official visit to Bulgaria convinces us that our partnership, which has also developed within the EU, will continue to grow stronger and deeper against the backdrop of the challenges we are facing. We should show solidarity and be united in order to defend the basic principles and values on which our common home – Europe – is built,” the Head of State further said.

Ambassador Marco Conticelli said that within his term in office he has always worked to preserve and develop the friendly relations between Bulgaria and Italy. “My heart remains open to Bulgaria. A country rich with humaneness, culture and nature.” The diplomat voiced gratitude for his warm reception in Bulgaria and said that the interaction with the Bulgarian institutions is excellent.

The Head of State awarded Latifa Aharbash, ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Bulgaria, with the Madara Horseman, first class, for her contributions to the development of the relations between the two countries.

“The considerable progress of the bilateral relations is a clear expression of Bulgaria’s and Morocco’s political will to take advantage of the existing opportunities and deepen and enrich them. This progress is in harmony with the two peoples’ ambition to cultivate friendship for the sake of strengthening peace and security in the world,” President Plevneliev said and emphasized Ambassador Aharbash’s contribution to the development of friendship and cooperation between the two countries and her assistance in making the political dialogue more active by organizing a lot of bilateral top-level visits.

“The effective cooperation with Morocco that has been established throughout the years is an important achievement of our two countries and peoples. What lies at the basis of Bulgaria’s policy related to the Arab world and particularly to Morocco is understanding the necessity to preserve this valuable capital and to further develop it in the future,” President Rosen Plevneliev added. The Head of State said that 2016 will mark the 55th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Kingdom of Morocco.

“We managed to impart a new dynamics to the bilateral relations by strengthening the contacts between the two peoples and also between the two countries’ civil societies and state institutions on issues such as safeguarding human rights, fighting corruption, the migrants’ rights and many more issues. A growing number of Moroccan students show an interest in Bulgarian universities, the number of Bulgarian tourists to our country is also increasing,” Ambassador Latifa Aharbash said after receiving the high state order. In the diplomat’s words, the relations between the EU and Morocco provide further opportunities to promote the cooperation and exchange between Bulgaria and Morocco.

Morocco considers Bulgaria’s role in the migratory crisis very important and constructive, Ambassador Latifa Aharbash further said and defined her stay in Bulgaria as very efficient. “In the contacts I had with Bulgarians I saw modesty and self-criticism, which are practically the strongest expression of national pride and self-respect.  We can only express a positive attitude to Bulgaria’s efforts to strengthen the democratic consolidation and ensure a better future for the EU. Your personal dedication to this cause and your position in support of the European values are real events for us, the ambassadors,” the Moroccan diplomat addressed the Head of State.