site.bta15 Bulgarian Visa Centres to Open for Tourists in India Next Month

ESD 16:17:01 17-02-2019
MY1616ES.105
105 POLITICS - BULGARIA - INDIA - FOREIGN MINISTERS

15 Bulgarian Visa Centres
to Open for Tourists in India
Next Month


Sofia, February 16 (BTA) - Fifteen Bulgarian visa centres will be opened in India this March to service Indian tourists wishing to visit this country, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva told journalists here after meeting on Saturday evening with India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The guest is on a working visit to Bulgaria as part of a four-day tour that also includes Morocco and Spain.

Interest towards Bulgaria as a tourist destination has increased substantially after Bollywood films were shot in Sofia, Zaharieva said, adding that this increase is 25 per cent. She expressed her joy over Minister Sushma Swaraj's visit to Bulgaria, who is an example for many young women in her country.

The two top diplomats discussed bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.

They have agreed on specific cooperation in a number of areas, such as economy, science, education and agriculture.

Zaharieva recalled that trade between the two countries has increased by 22 per cent last year compared to 2017.

The foreign ministers agreed that bilateral economic cooperation is at a good standing, but much more could be done to improve it, such as opening a direct flight for example.

The partnership between India and Bulgaria is very good in the IT sector, the pharmaceutical industry, as Bulgarian companies in these fields work in India, Zaharieva noted.

The Bulgarian Minister said that a joint economic forum will be held soon with the participation of business delegations from both countries, adding that a future visit to India is on her agenda.

A Foreign Minister of India last visited in Bulgaria 13 years ago and the latest bilateral meeting at the level of foreign ministers was 10 years ago.

The visit to Bulgaria by Minister Swaraj follows up on a state visit of the President of India to Bulgaria in September last year, the Indian External Affairs Ministry said. LN/MY