The head of State honours outgoing German Ambassador with the Order of the Madara Rider, First Class
The support of the Federal Republic of Germany for the implementation of Bulgaria's foreign policy priorities in the process of European integration and our accession to Schengen and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, is particularly valuable for Bulgaria, President Radev said today at a ceremony at which he awarded the outgoing Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Bulgaria, H.E. Christoph Eichhorn, with the Order of the Madara Rider, First Class. The diplomat was honoured with this state award for his particularly great services to the strengthening and development of Bulgarian-German relations.
It is a real pleasure for me to honour not only a wonderful German diplomat, but also a great friend of Bulgaria, the head of State said and noted that during his term, Ambassador Eichhorn, with his energy and dedication, has managed to give an additional impetus to the upward development of top-level relations between Bulgaria and the Federal Republic of Germany.
Radev highlighted the growing trade between Bulgaria and Germany, despite the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which reaches EUR 10 billion. In the President's words, this is largely due to Ambassador Eichhorn's activity, his meetings and support for German and Bulgarian businesses, as well as his active exchange with the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
The relations between Bulgaria and Germany go far beyond our trade and economic cooperation, President Radev further stressed and highlighted the excellent bilateral ties and interaction in education, science and culture, which give the young people in Bulgaria the opportunity to experience the beauty and richness of the German language and culture.
Radev also noted the importance of the large Bulgarian community in the Federal Republic of Germany for the development of bilateral relations. The hundreds of thousands of Bulgarian nationals studying and working in Germany contribute to further deepening the ties between the two friendly nations.
Ambassador Christoph Eichhorn thanked for the distinction and for the Bulgarian hospitality he had received during his ambassadorship. In his words, Bulgarian-German relations have a great potential, which can be realised with the support of both countries. The diplomat also noted that European countries can only together overcome the huge challenges that Europe and the world are facing today.