site.btaBulgarian Parliamentary Delegation Opens Visit to Serbia

Sofia, October 29 (BTA) - A Bulgarian parliamentary delegation led by National Assembly Chairman Dimiter Glavchev opened Sunday an official three-day visit to Serbia, the National Assembly said in a press release. The visit started with the laying of wreaths at the monument to Vassil Levski in Dimitrovgrad, Serbia.

After that the members of the Bulgarian delegation conferred with the Mayor of Dimitrovgrad, Vladica Dimitrov, and municipal councillors. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the Serbian Parliament, Veroljub Arsic.

Glavchev and Arsic noted that joint efforts are needed for the economic development of border regions. Dimitrov said that he will work with the powers in Belgrade for the deepening of the cross-border cooperation. "The visit of the Bulgarian delegation is a prerequisite for future good cooperation. Tension has never existed between Bulgarians and Serbs, we want to be the connective tissue between the two countries," he said.

The participants in the talks also discussed the rights of the Bulgarian national minority included in the legislative system of the Republic of Serbia and their implementation in practice. Glavchev said that Bulgaria has been working for and protecting the rights and freedoms of the Bulgarian minority. He said that the problems will be solved in active dialogue between the two countries, and that education should be an undisputed priority. As a positive step in this respect Glavchev noted the printing of textbooks for the needs of the pupils of the Bulgarian national minority.

Glavchev said that Bulgaria supports Serbia's European integration, when the country meets the established criteria and requirements. Bulgaria is ready to render expert help and share its experience, he said.

Later in the day the Bulgarian delegation laid wreaths at a memorial ossuary near Dimitrovgrad, where Bulgarian and Serbian soldiers fought 132 years ago.

In Nis the Bulgarian officials conferred with Mayor Darko Bulatovic, the is Regional Governov and local MPs.

A meeting was held in the building of the Bulgarian consulate in Nis with representatives of the Bulgarian minority.

On the delegation are Deputy Chairman of the Serbia-Bulgaria Friendship Group of the National Assembly Pavel Shipov, members of the friendship group Konstantin Popov, Tasko Ermenkov and Vellislava Krusteva, and Volya floor leader Gergana Stefanova.