Interview
Bulgarian
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text sizeBulgaria Lends Shoulder to Georgia in EU and NATO Integration
Mikheil Ukleba
Ambassador of Georgia to Bulgaria
- Your Excellency, the bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Georgia are obviously gaining momentum. How would you explain this upward trend?
- May 5 we mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Georgia. To this day the two countries have signed 49 bilateral agreements in different spheres. Our relations have become especially warm recently. Tis is evidenced by the official visit of PM Boiko Borisov to Georgia in April 2012 as well as the meetings between President Mikhail Saakashvili and his Bulgarian colleague Rosen Plevneliev during the NATO summit in Chicago in May. Earlier the foreign ministers of our countries met in Brussels. In the near future summit visits are planned in both Sofia and Tbilisi.
- How would your asses the economic cooperation between Bulgaria and Georgia?
- Despite the global economic crisis the trade turnover between our counties has grown considerably. Bulgaria holds the 8th position in the list of Georgia’s major trade partners. Our trading volume amounts to USD 349 million, up by 80 percent since 2011. Georgia’s key export item to Bulgaria is copper and copper concentrate, nitrogenous fertilizers, etc. Bulgaria exports to Georgia, oil products, medicines, cosmetics, etc.
- How would you comment the support Bulgaria renders to Georgia on its way to NATO and EU integration?
- NATO and EU integration are the top priorities for Georgia. That is why the summit of the Alliance in Chicago was of paramount importance to our country. Georgia took part in all the events during the summit, both as a partner and an aspiring member. I have to emphasize that the government of Bulgaria has lent a shoulder to Georgia in the process of our integration into the EU and NATO. A proof to that is the memorandum of cooperation between our countries in these spheres signed during the visit of PM Borisov to Tbilisi.
- Georgia, along with other countries, is showing interest in the Standart’s campaign The Wonders of Bulgaria, and in broadening the cultural cooperation between Sofia and Tbilisi as well. What developments can we expect in this field?
- The Wonders of Bulgaria is a very important and, I would say, necessary campaign. One of the sites featured in the campaign is the Bachkovo Monastery, founded by Georgia’s Bakuriani brothers, and the icon of the Holy Mother that is kept there is a symbol of the ancient historical ties and friendship of our two countries. I would like to specially emphasize our good relations in the field of culture. Some of Georgia’s world famous art groups performed in Sofia last year; and your Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov promised to visit Tbilisi soon.
Luybomir Mikhailov
(Abridged)
Ambassador of Georgia to Bulgaria
- Your Excellency, the bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Georgia are obviously gaining momentum. How would you explain this upward trend?
- May 5 we mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Georgia. To this day the two countries have signed 49 bilateral agreements in different spheres. Our relations have become especially warm recently. Tis is evidenced by the official visit of PM Boiko Borisov to Georgia in April 2012 as well as the meetings between President Mikhail Saakashvili and his Bulgarian colleague Rosen Plevneliev during the NATO summit in Chicago in May. Earlier the foreign ministers of our countries met in Brussels. In the near future summit visits are planned in both Sofia and Tbilisi.
- How would your asses the economic cooperation between Bulgaria and Georgia?
- Despite the global economic crisis the trade turnover between our counties has grown considerably. Bulgaria holds the 8th position in the list of Georgia’s major trade partners. Our trading volume amounts to USD 349 million, up by 80 percent since 2011. Georgia’s key export item to Bulgaria is copper and copper concentrate, nitrogenous fertilizers, etc. Bulgaria exports to Georgia, oil products, medicines, cosmetics, etc.
- How would you comment the support Bulgaria renders to Georgia on its way to NATO and EU integration?
- NATO and EU integration are the top priorities for Georgia. That is why the summit of the Alliance in Chicago was of paramount importance to our country. Georgia took part in all the events during the summit, both as a partner and an aspiring member. I have to emphasize that the government of Bulgaria has lent a shoulder to Georgia in the process of our integration into the EU and NATO. A proof to that is the memorandum of cooperation between our countries in these spheres signed during the visit of PM Borisov to Tbilisi.
- Georgia, along with other countries, is showing interest in the Standart’s campaign The Wonders of Bulgaria, and in broadening the cultural cooperation between Sofia and Tbilisi as well. What developments can we expect in this field?
- The Wonders of Bulgaria is a very important and, I would say, necessary campaign. One of the sites featured in the campaign is the Bachkovo Monastery, founded by Georgia’s Bakuriani brothers, and the icon of the Holy Mother that is kept there is a symbol of the ancient historical ties and friendship of our two countries. I would like to specially emphasize our good relations in the field of culture. Some of Georgia’s world famous art groups performed in Sofia last year; and your Culture Minister Vezhdi Rashidov promised to visit Tbilisi soon.
Luybomir Mikhailov
(Abridged)
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