site.btaBilateral Friendship Groups in Parliaments of Bulgaria, Russia, Sign Memorandum of Cooperation and Understanding

June 26 (BTA) - The friendship groups between
Bulgaria and Russia in the two countries' parliaments signed
Wednesday a memorandum of cooperation and understanding, the
Bulgarian National Assembly said in a press release.

The signing took place during a two-day visit to Russia of a
Bulgarian parliamentary delegation headed by National Assembly
Chairperson Tsveta Karayancheva. On the delegation are the
Bulgaria-Russia Friendship Group's co-chairs Krassimir Velchev
and Anton Koutev and Deputy Chair Volen Siderov, and MPs Diana
Savateva, Boryana Georgieva and Ahmed Ahmedov.

The members of the Bulgaria-Russia Friendship Group met with the
 Group for Cooperation with the Bulgarian National Assembly of
the Russian Federation Council.

At the meeting Velchev spoke about the good relations between
the two countries and noted their intensity. Bulgaria assesses
positively the quick solution to the question of hourly work by
Bulgarian students studying in Russia. The Bulgarian MP invited
a delegation of the Cooperation Group of the Russian Federation
Council to visit Bulgaria.

Koutev for his part said that over the past few years, the sides
 have managed to change and intensity the dialogue between the
two friendship groups and the two parliaments. He noted that
this in turn gave a boost to the bilateral relations in the are
of energy and other important sphere of cooperation.

The Coordinator of the Group for Cooperation with the Bulgarian
National Assembly in the Russian Federation Council, Vasily
Ikonnikov, welcomed the good relations between the two
friendship groups and between the two countries. Ikonnikov
voiced satisfaction that the issue whereby Bulgarian students
studying in Russia can perform hourly work raised by Bulgaria
will be solved already in September.

The participants in the meeting said that the intensification of
 the parliamentary contacts will further expand the bilateral
relations on all levels. The MPs reiterated that work will
continue on the development of the friendly ties in the long
term.

The participants in the meeting also discussed opportunities for
 increasing the two-way commercial exchange, and the
implementation of projects for the organization of joint
vacations of children from Bulgaria and Russia. Another topic
that was discussed were the ferry links between the Bulgarian
seaside city of Bourgas and Kavkaz and Novorossiysk on Russia.
RY/ZH
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