site.btaBulgarian, Israeli Parliament Chairs Discuss Prospects for Deepening Political Dialogue

Prospects for deepening the political dialogue and opportunities for building on the strategic nature of the relations between Bulgaria and Israel were discussed by Parliament Chair Rosen Zhelyazkov and his Israeli counterpart Amir Ohana, the National Assembly press office said on Friday.

The two held talks in Dublin, where they are taking part in the EU Speakers Conference, organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Rosen Zhelyazkov pointed to the excellent relations between the two countries and stressed that they are a solid basis and a guarantee for fruitful future cooperation in various areas of mutual interest. “Our aspiration is to deepen parliamentary exchanges and to develop our relations in the fields of innovation, energy, tourism, agriculture,” he said, and thanked Ohana for Israel’s readiness to exchange expertise related to water resources management.

Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana pointed out that Israel and Bulgaria enjoy excellent friendly relations which are translated into action. The fight against anti-Semitism and hate speech are a common priority for both countries, and the bright act of saving 48,000 Bulgarian Jews during World War II should be a standard of tolerance and humanity to which we should all adhere today, he noted. The rise of extreme populist movements is a challenge for the entire democratic world and only united can we oppose all forms of discrimination and intolerance, Amir Ohana stressed. Time has taught us its bitter lessons, which we should remember so that we never allow the tragedies of the past to happen again, he added.

Taking into account the rise of extreme ideas all over the world, Bulgaria should continue and even redouble its efforts in the fight against anti-Semitism and hate speech, the head of the National Assembly delegation to the PACE, Georg Georgiev, said at the meeting. “We insist on strategic relations with Israel and believe that the natural cultural and historical bridges between the two countries have the potential to help deepen our joint work in a number of areas of mutual interest,” Georgiev stressed.