site.btaIsraeli President Rivlin Pays Official Visit to Bulgaria

Israeli President Rivlin Pays Official Visit to Bulgaria

Sofia, July 7 (BTA) - Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who is paying an official visit to Bulgaria, took part in a joint news conference with Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev here on Thursday after a one-to-one session between the two heads of State.

"The perpetrators and organizers of the bombing attack at Sarafovo Airport in 2012 will go on trial in a matter of days," Plevneliev told the news conference. He was referring to a July 2012 terrorist bombing attack on a bus at Sarafovo Airport, near Bourgas (on the Black Sea), in which five Israeli tourists and their Bulgarian driver were killed.

The President said that "Bulgaria and Israel are acting together and are making every effort so that such tragedies would not happen again. None of us will rest until those who committed and also those who motivated and organized the attack in Sarafovo are brought to justice. This will happen very, very soon. I have been assured by Bulgaria's Prosecutor General that it is a matter of days," the head of State said.

Asked whether Bulgaria is prepared for future terrorist threats, President Plevneliev commented that "we are now better prepared, stronger and readier together," but added that "nobody is immune to a terrorist attack, which may be launched at any time and anywhere in the world." "Only together can we oppose terrorism in all its dimensions," the President argued.

Rivlin also spoke of the need for all countries to declare "firmly and jointly that they will fiercely fight terror and its supporters anywhere where they are trying to reach and anywhere where they are trying to hide."

The two presidents discussed bilateral relations, noting the friendship between the two peoples, the active political dialogue, the vigour of economic ties and the potential for their expansion. They also discussed the need to hold a third intergovernmental meeting between Bulgaria and Israel, which should review the achievements made and outline even more ambitious plans for bilateral relations. The first meeting of the intergovernmental economic commission is also expected to be scheduled.

The promising areas of cooperation include high-tech fields, such as ICT, outsourcing, electrical engineering and electronics, as well as traditional branches of Bulgaria's economy, such as tourism, energy, food processing, and agriculture, Plevneliev said. "Bulgaria wishes to tap Israel's experience so as to implement a larger number of joint agrifood projects," he added. He went on to say that his country hopes to attract Israeli investors in innovations, funding and design of joint entrepreneurship projects within the Sofia Tech Park.

"We are ready to implement Israel's proposal for arranging internships for Bulgarian math students and young high-tech professionals at Israeli companies specializing in cyber security and cyber defence," Plevneliev also said. He noted the big potential for cooperation in tourism through Bulgaria's positioning as an year-round destination for Israeli tourists. Their number has grown, and in 2015 over 155,000 Israeli tourists visited Bulgaria. This year the number of Bulgarians travelling to Israel has increased by slightly under 3 per cent.

The sides also discussed defence and security cooperation, which Plevneliev said was at a very high level. He discussed the joint flight trainings carried out in the past few years between the Bulgarian and the Israeli air forces, the intensive exchange of information, and the deepening of contacts in military technology. Plevneliev also noted the good cooperation between the two countries' security services in counteracting terrorism.

The sides are also working for deepening energy cooperation. Plevneliev said that Bulgaria considers Israel as a potential natural gas supplier to this country and also to Southeastern Europe. Taking a question, Rivlin commented that no diplomatic talks on the issue are taking place at the moment but that the upcoming third government-level meeting will bring together the appropriate people who can discuss the specific aspects of the matter.

Rivlin said that Israel will always remember Bulgaria's support for the young State of Israel in 1948, as well as the saving of 48,000 Jews from deportation to the Nazi death camps during World War II.