site.btaBulgaria Will Work Toward Deepening EU - Colombia Relations, President Plevneliev Says

Bulgaria Will Work Toward Deepening EU - Colombia Relations, President Plevneliev Says


New York, September 25 (BTA) - Bulgaria will work toward
deepening EU's relations with Colombia, which is one of the EU's
prospective partners in Latin America and the Caribbean, said
President Rosen Plevneliev here on Thursday during a meeting at
UN headquarters with his Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel
Santos. According to Plevneliev, activating EU-Latin America
ties will facilitate the implementation of joint projects
between Bulgaria and Colombia, Plevneliev's press secretariat
said in a press release.

Colombia has enjoyed high economic growth in the past few years,
which amounted to 4.8 per cent of its GDP in 2013, and
successfully attracts foreign investments. President Santos
suggested that the EU could create a special fund for financing
projects within the partnership between the EU and countries
from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Bulgaria and Colombia have established themselves in the
pharmaceutical industry and the production of generic drugs,
which creates favourable opportunities for cooperation between
Bulgarian and Colombian companies in this field. The production
of generic drugs is favourable for lowering drug costs and
public spending on health care, it emerged from the meeting.

The two heads of state also discussed tighter cooperation in the
field of education and opportunities for educating Colombian
students in Bulgarian universities. Plevneliev introduced his
counterpart to Bulgaria's traditions in educating foreign
students, noting that Bulgarian university diplomas are valid
across the EU.