site.btaPresident Radev to Head Bulgarian Delegation to NATO Summit, on Official Visit to Vatican

President Radev to Head Bulgarian Delegation to NATO Summit in Brussels, Pay Official Visit to Vatican

Sofia, May 24 (BTA) - President Roumen Radev will head a Bulgarian delegation to the NATO Summit in Brussels May 25, the Press Secretariat of the Head of State said Wednesday.

The NATO leaders will meet in Brussels to address the Alliance's role in the fight against terrorism and fairer burden-sharing across NATO. The Alliance will also mark the handover of its new headquarters from Belgium to NATO.

On the next day, May 26, Radev will lead a Bulgarian delegation making a traditional visit to the Vatican for the Day of Bulgarian Education, Culture and Slav Letters, May 24. He will be received by Pope Francis and will confer with the Secretary of State of the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

While in Rome, Radev will places which have special significance for Bulgarian people: Rome's Basilica of San Clemente al Laterano which holds the grave of St Cyril, the San Paolo alla Regola church which was placed at the disposal of the Bulgarian community in the Italian capital for services, as well as the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore where Pope Hadrian II blessed the Bulgarian alphabet, the Bulgarian books and the work of Cyril and Methodius. The President will also lay flowers to the monuments of noted Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov and of St. Cyril and St. Methodius.

The Bulgarian delegation for the visits to Brussels and the Vatican includes representatives of the Government and the National Assembly: Deputy Prime Minister for Judicial Reform and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zahareiva, Culture Minister Boil Banov, Deputy National Assembly Chairman Vesselin Mareshki, as well as representatives of educational, cultural institutions and clerics.
//