site.btaRussia Has Always Been Strategic Energy Partner to Bulgaria, President Radev Tells Prime Minister Medvedev

Moscow, May 21 (BTA special correspondent Asen Boyadjiev) - Meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow on Monday, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said Russia has always been a strategic energy partner to Bulgaria as a supplier of natural gas, oil and nuclear fuel and as a participant in the maintenance and upgrading of energy facilities. Radev said the security of energy supplies is very important to Bulgaria and the EU.

"Therefore, I hope that our governments will consider again the possibility of direct supply of gas from Russia via the Black Sea," he urged. Noting that discussions on the Belene nuclear power plant project have been resumed in Bulgaria, he said Russia will be kept posted because "the resuscitation of the project implies Russian participation."

Radev, who is on his first visit to Russia as President, went on to state: "Our two countries have an enormous advantage. Our relations are not based solely on economic interests. They draw on our deep historical, spiritual and cultural ties."

He observed that Russia has always been an important trade and economic partner to Bulgaria. Last year's 3.6 billion euro in bilateral trade is a good level, but it is far below earlier results and far below the two countries' potential, he said. "It is very important to make a review so we can identify the areas in which we can and should develop our relations more dynamically," he suggested.

Radev called for keeping up the good relations in tourism, science, education and culture, and continuing the work of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation. He recalled that the Commission was supposed to meet last year but the meeting was postponed, and now Russia is expected to propose a date for a session in Moscow.

Radev thanked for the opportunity to visit Russia and to resume bilateral dialogue at the highest level after it was suspended for many years. He noted that his visit is taking place ahead of the Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slav Letters (May 24), which he said is a great day for all Slavs. He thanked for the chance to hold May 24 observances in Russia. The year 2018 is also the 140th anniversary of Bulgaria's liberation from Ottoman rule and the country's reinstatement on the map of Europe as a result of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, he said.

Medvedev said the two nations have strong ties of friendship and spiritual closeness between them, which makes Radev's visit particularly important. Moscow and Sofia have an extensive shared agenda, which includes invigorating trade and economic cooperation, considering that bilateral trade has decreased recently, Medvedev said. He, too, noted that Radev's trip is taking place ahead of the Day of Slav Letters and in the year of the 140th anniversary of Bulgaria's liberation from Ottoman rule. He expressed hope that bilateral contacts will become more intensive after Radev's visit, which follows a recent trip by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov to Russia. "We believe that, as a result of your visit, we will be able to raise our relations to a new level," Medvedev said.