site.btaPleven Twinned with Argentinian City of Roque Saenz Pena

Pleven was twinned with the Argentinian city of Saenz Pena. The agreement on the establishment of partnership relations between the Municipality of Pleven and the Municipality of Roque Saenz Pena, Argentina, was signed on Friday by the two mayors Dr. Valentin Hristov of Pleven and Bruno Cipollini of Roque Saenz Peña.

The agreement was implemented with the assistance of the Ambassador of Argentina in Bulgaria, Alejandro Zothner Meyer, who attended the signing.

"I am glad that the contacts between the two cities are already a fact. I am sure that, despite the long distances, we will find common themes and projects and will implement our partnership with true substance. I assure our new Argentinian friends that the doors of Pleven will always be open to them and they will find like-minded friends and colleagues here," Pleven Mayor Hristov said before the signing.

An official delegation from the Province of Chaco, where Roque Saenz Pena is located, is in Pleven on the occasion of the ceremony.

The delegation is on a state visit to this country and is led by Leandro Zdero, Governor of the Province of Chaco. It also includes the Mayor of the Municipality of Roque Saenz Pena, Bruno Cipollini. The President of the Bulgarian community, Pedro Markoff, is also in Bulgaria.

After the signing, Governor Leandro Zdero and Mayor Bruno Cipollini also expressed their satisfaction with the signing of the agreement and wished for future successful relations. Guests and hosts exchanged gifts. Dr Hristov was presented with the flag of the city of Roque Saenz Pena.

From the Bulgarian side the ceremony was attended by Pleven Regional Governor Nikolay Abrashev, the Chairman of the Municipal Council Ivan Malkodanski and deputy mayors.

The contacts between Pleven and Roque Saenz Pena date back to 2012 after a visit to the city by the then Ambassador of Argentina to Bulgaria, Guillermo Salvador Asrak and a proposal to establish partnership relations between Pleven and the Argentinian city. His choice of Roque Saenz Pena was due to the presence of a large Bulgarian community in the city, some of whose roots are from the Pleven region. The Bulgarian community has its own society which bears the name of Hristo Botev. It also has its own church. The current population of the town is nearly 100 000 people.

The twinning ceremony between Pleven and the Argentinian city of Roque Saenz Pena took place in the Assembly Hall of the Municipality.