site.btaUPDATED President Confers Order of Madara Horseman, First Class on Ambassador of Spain

President Rumen Radev presented Spain’s Ambassador to Bulgaria, Alejandro Polanco Mata, with the Order of the Madara Horseman, First Class, the President's Press Secretariat reported on Tuesday. The state honour was awarded for the diplomat's particularly great merits for strengthening and developing bilateral relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Kingdom of Spain.

Radev noted that relations between Bulgaria and Spain are more than 110 years old and are based on strong historical and cultural ties, constructive political dialogue, deepening trade and economic relations, and increasingly active educational, cultural and scientific exchanges.

The President said he was honoured to present the award to Polanco Mata for his efforts in promoting political, economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Radev thanked him for his work as ambassador in Sofia and for having intensified Bulgarian-Spanish relations between at highest political level.

Congratulating Polanco Mata on Facebook, outgoing Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel said that Spain is a strong ally that Bulgaria values. Gabriel thanked him for the good cooperation and for the support of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU for Bulgaria's accession to Schengen.