site.btaBSP Head Mikov, Russian MPs, State Officials Discuss Bulgarian-Russian Relations

BSP Head Mikov, Russian MPs, State Officials Discuss Bulgarian-Russian Relations

Sofia, April 22 (BTA) - The Chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) National Council, Mihail Mikov, met Friday with top-ranking Russian state officials. These included the State Duma Vice Chairman Ivan Melnikov, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexey Meshkov, Fair Russia MP Anatoly Shein and Vladimir Kononov, First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Science and Science-intensive Technologies, the BSP press centre said on Friday.
   
The talks preceded Mikov's participation in the Fair Russia forthcoming congress during which the sides will sign an agreement. The Bulgarian delegation includes the spokesman of the left, Atanas Merdzhanov, and the head of the BSP office, Boris Ivanov.
   
The subjects discussed included development of Bulgaria-Russia relations, opportunities for cooperation between local authorities and business contacts, the BSP's position in relation to the economic sanctions and the ban on MP travels, the failed energy projects, the situation in Syria and the refugee wave.
   
Meshkov expressed serious disappointment with the anti-Russian speech of some politicians in Bulgaria which, in turn, generates feelings against Bulgaria. He underscored, however, that there is no problem with the confidence in the Bulgarian people but that such opposition is not subject to a Russian scenario.
    
According to Mikov, the Bulgarian construction branch can currently return on the Russian market in the wake of complicated relations between Russia and Turkey, as a result of which Turkish construction companies have withdrawn.
   
A serious increase of Russian tourists in Bulgaria is also expected this year, it emerged at the meeting.