site.btaUPDATED National Assembly Chair Zhelyazkov: Bulgaria, Vietnam Wish to Develop Their Relations

Bulgaria and Vietnam wish to develop their relations in the context of intensifying EU-Vietnam cooperation, the EU-ASEAN Strategic Partnership and the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Region, Bulgarian National Assembly Chair Rosen Zhelyazkov said after a plenary meeting between the members of the visiting Bulgarian parliamentary delegation to Vietnam and Vietnamese MPs.

The Bulgarian parliamentary delegation, which is led by Zhelyazkov, is on a three-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnam's National Assembly Chairperson Vuong Dinh Hue.

Zhelyazkov stressed that Vietnam has been a trusted friend and important partner of Bulgaria in the dynamically developing region of Southeast Asia for over 70 years. Bulgaria is willing to deepen its political dialogue and cooperation with Vietnam in the fields of economy, investment, connectivity, defence, and rule of law, he added. The EU is ready to proceed with concrete projects with its Vietnamese partners under initiatives such as the Enhanced Security Cooperation in and with Asia (ESIWA), the Critical Maritime Routes Indo-Pacific (CRIMARIO) project and the Global Gateway initiative, he added. "I believe that Bulgarian and Vietnamese parliamentarians can make a significant contribution and help the development of our bilateral relations," Zhelyazkov noted.

Vietnam is a key partner for Bulgaria in the Asia-Pacific region and in the context of providing Official Development Assistance, he also said, adding that the priority areas for the 2020-2024 programming period are improving access to quality education, empowering women and promoting cultural diversity.

Vuong Dinh Hue noted that the plenary session was positive and constructive and in turn confirmed that Bulgaria and Vietnam shared desire to develop their bilateral relations even more intensively. Vietnam is focused on promoting comprehensive cooperation with the EU and with Central and Eastern European countries, among which Bulgaria is a priority partner, he said.

Vuong added that he and Zhelyazkov are committed to effectively implement the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Assembly of Bulgaria and the National Assembly of Vietnam signed in September 2023 in Sofia.

Priority sectors in the Bulgarian-Vietnamese relations are energy, agriculture, labour market and tourism. Among the sectors with great potential for development are energy, industry, high-tech agriculture, pharmaceuticals, innovation and tourism, Zhelyazkov emphasized.

The treaty base of the agreement on labour migration between Bulgaria and Vietnam should be completed in 2024, Zhelyazkov said, adding that it would provide a good basis for labour mobility for the needs of the Bulgarian market.

The Bulgarian delegation includes Labour, Social and Demographic Policy Committee Chair Denitsa Sacheva MP of GERB-UDF, Defence Committee Chair Hristo Gadzhev MP of GERB-UDF, Economic Policy and Innovation Committee Chair Hamid Hamid MP of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), Direct Participation of Citizens and Interaction with Civil Society Committee Chair Valentin Tonchev MP of MRF, Culture and Media Committee Deputy Chair and Bulgaria-Vietnam Friendship Group Chair Stoyan Mihalev MP of Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria (CC-DB), Bulgaria-Vietnam Friendship Group Deputy Chair Borislav Gutsanov MP of BSP for Bulgaria, Neli Dimitrova MP of CC-DB, Tsvetan Predov MP of There Is Such a People, Angel Georgiev MP of Vazrazhdane, Alexander Valchev MP of There Is Such a People, and Kazanlak Mayor Galina Stoyanova.