site.bta President Plevneliev Receives Key to Lisbon

President Plevneliev Receives Key to Lisbon

Lisbon, November 3 (BTA) - Lisbon Mayor Fernando Medina on Tuesday presented President Rosen Plevneliev with a key to the city during a formal ceremony, the President's Press Secretariat said. The ceremony took place within the framework of Plevneliev's official visit to Portugal.

Plevneliev said that the key symbolizes doors which should always stay open and vowed to bring closer the peoples of Portugal and Bulgaria. The head of State said that Lisbon is a city of unique cultural heritage, where the past and the future walk hand in hand. The President said that Sofia and Lisbon are much alike in terms of their rich history and various cultural influences that left marks in both cities.

According to the President, the two capitals may cooperate in areas such as innovations, IT and biomedical research. "The future belongs to the educated young people and the scientists who can change the world for the better," said the head of State. Plevneliev underscored that the first innovation ecosystem in Southeastern Europe will open in Bulgaria and that Sofia ranks third after London and Dublin as the most attractive destination for startup businesses.

Earlier in the day, Plevneliev conferred with Parliament President Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues. Rodrigues said that recently cooperation between the two countries has been deepening, attested by the high-level political meetings. He stated Portugal's support for Bulgaria's accession to Schengen and noted the good partnership between the two countries in the EU, NATO and the Council of Europe.