site.btaPresident Radev Confers with Italian Foreign Minister Di Maio

July 7 (BTA) - Italy is an exceedingly important economic
 and trade partner, and a key investor for Bulgaria, with the
potential to develop relations in economy, trade and energy
because of its key role in the Southern Gas Corridor, President
Rumen Radev said. He was speaking at his Tuesday meeting with
Italian Foreign Minister Luigi di Maio who is paying a visit to
Bulgaria.

Radev noted that Italy is a friendly country with which Bulgaria
 has historical, economic and cultural ties, as well as
excellent bilateral relations and a constructive partnership.

The President expressed gratitude for Italy's unwavering support
 for Bulgaria's membership in the OECD, Schengen and the euro
zone.

Di Maio declared that Italy categorically supports Bulgaria's
Schengen accession. He also remarked that Bulgaria and Italy
have identical positions on matters concerning both Europe and
the two countries, expressed at various fora.

In his words, with the COVID-19 pandemic in the world, Italy
could see who its friends were really and Bulgaria and the
Bulgarian people were among those./RY/BR


/МЙ/