site.btaNational Assembly Bulgaria-Nigeria Friendship Group Chair Vladislav Panev Visit's Nigeria, Talks about Inclusion

Bulgarian MP Vladislav Panev advised the political elite in Africa to respect all nationalities in their countries, regardless of differences in viewpoints and opinions. Panev stated this in Abuja during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while on a five-day visit to the country at the invitation of its National Assembly.

Panev who is also the head of the Bulgaria-Nigeria Friendship Group in the Bulgarian National Assembly, said that strengthening interpersonal relations is the way to build mutual respect among different groups for the common good of the country.

Penev said that the most important aspect of relations is respect for each other regardless of differences in viewpoints, regardless of where people come from, whether from different ethnicities or from different political parties. He added that  cooperation between the various parties in Parliament is of particular and crucial importance for the common good and Nigerians in particular, quoted by NAN.

Citing Bulgaria's experience, Panev stated that the inclusion of women and different ethnicities in the country's parliament and government has led to positive results.

The MP quoted Bulgaria national hero Vasil Levski, who said at the end of the 19th century that Bulgaria should be a home, a welcoming home for all the people who live there. He argued that following this example is why in Bulgaria, maybe for the last 100 years, there has been no civil unrest.

Panev stated that the participation of women in Parliament and society of Bulgaria is equal to that of men, because there is no difference between men and women when it comes to politics in the country.

The  inclusion of women, not only in the Parliament of Bulgaria, but also in Bulgarian society as a whole, is at a very good level, the MP stressed, noting that the Scandinavian countries are leading in the process, but so are the countries of Eastern Europe because of the times of communism.

Penev did note that Bulgaria still needs to work more on the inclusion of minorities.