On the afternoon of January 9, Bulgarian National Assembly Speaker Rosen Dimitrov Jeliazkov and his entourage left Hanoi, ending a five-day official visit to Vietnam at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.
This was the first visit by a Bulgarian NA Speaker in more than a decade, and was billed as a reciprocal visit following the Vietnamese top legislator's official visit to Bulgaria in September 2023.
Mutual support maintained
The Bulgarian NA Speaker paid a courtesy call on President Vo Van Thuong, met Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, attended the welcoming ceremony and held talks with National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and meetings in Ninh Binh and Quang Ninh provinces.
The Bulgarian NA Speaker also met with representatives of Vietnamese who have studied and worked in Bulgaria; visited and delivered a speech at Hanoi National University; and visited the Vietnam-Bulgaria Kindergarten (Hanoi).
| NA Vice Chairman Tran Quang Phuong bids farewell to Bulgarian National Assembly Speaker Rosen Dimitrov Jeliazkov at Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: VNA |
Speaker Jeliazkov's visit was aimed at maintaining sound political relations between the two countries through party, state, parliament, government and people-to-people exchanges. It provided a good opportunity for the two sides to discuss regional and international issues of mutual concern, to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in a practical and effective way, especially in areas of their strength.
For Bulgaria, Vietnam is an important partner in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), while Vietnam sees the visiting delegation as an important link to a strategic Eastern European partner.
The leaders of the two countries noted the positive development progress in bilateral cooperation in various fields and agreed to continue visits and contacts at all levels through all channels and to effectively implement bilateral cooperation mechanisms and agreements.
Despite the global economic downturn, two-way trade reached US$200 million. The two sides set a target of US$500 million in bilateral trade per year by promoting trade and investment cooperation, especially in their areas of strength such as high-tech agriculture, pharmaceuticals, IT, tourism, culture, aviation and others.
Vietnam called on Bulgaria to press for the European Commission to consider lifting the "yellow card" warning against Vietnamese seafood. In addition, the country appreciated the ratification by the Bulgarian NA of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA), which will help Bulgarian enterprises access the Vietnamese market as well as the ASEAN market. Vietnam urged the Bulgarian side to promote the acceleration of ratification by the remaining EU member parliaments so that the EVIPA could enter into force at the earliest possible date.
The two legislators agreed that both sides should continue to formalize the new Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the two parliaments, signed in September 2023, in a swift, active and effective manner, in line with the spirit that parliamentary cooperation is an important pillar of relations between the two countries.
In addition, cooperation between the two parliamentary friendship groups will help the Vietnamese and Bulgarian NAs work together to monitor the implementation of their plans and agreements from 2024.
The two sides said they will also maintain high-level mutual visits between NA leaders, agencies and parliamentary friendship groups. They also plan to strengthen the exchange of information and experience in parliamentary activities, coordinate cooperation agreements between the two governments, and maintain mutual support in multilateral parliamentary forums and on regional and international issues of common concern.
On international and regional issues of mutual interest, the two sides welcomed the support they have given to each other in international forums and organisations such as the United Nations, the International Parliamentary Union and the Asia-Europe Meeting.
Speaker Jeliazkov and the Vietnamese leaders expressed their confidence that the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Bulgaria will be continuously consolidated and developed in the period ahead, with a view to celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations (February 8, 1950).
Faith in youth
Earlier in his visit to Hanoi National University, Speaker Jeliazkov said that the meeting with students was a valuable opportunity to look to the future with the optimism of youth in a context where the world is undergoing strong changes with many geopolitical, geo-economic, geo-technical and demographic challenges.
Speaker Jeliazkov hoped that the students of Hanoi National University in particular, and young people in general, would seize the opportunities of the world as politicians, managers, scientists and further develop the growing relations between Vietnam and Bulgaria.
| Speaker of the Bulgarian NA Rosen Dimitrov Jeliazkov (front, seventh from left) in a group photo with lecturers and students of the Vietnam National University, Hanoi on January 9. Photo: VNA |
"Relations between countries are determined by cooperation and competition, interests and common values, and respect between people. Every Bulgarian politician is very proud when mentioning relations with Vietnam, with strong and sincere feelings between people," he said.
Bulgaria was one of the first countries in the world to recognize Vietnam's independence. In 2025, the two countries will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Speaker Jeliazkov said that Bulgaria and Vietnam were important factors in ensuring stability in their respective regions, maintaining constructive relations with neighbouring countries and actively participating in other forms of cooperation.
Bulgaria has provided educational assistance to thousands of Vietnamese students during the years of post-war reconstruction. More than 35,000 Vietnamese citizens have studied and worked in Bulgaria, acting as a bridge to bring the two countries closer together.
According to Speaker Jeliazkov, Bulgaria and Vietnam are getting ever closer. Despite the geographical distance, the two countries are connected historically, physically and digitally, joining the fight against climate change, ensuring the sustainability of supply chains, overcoming hybrid threats and developing technological innovation and AI.
"We are developing an active political dialogue at the highest level and expressing our common will to strengthen bilateral relations," he said.
Speaker Jeliazkov stressed that education, knowledge and innovation will be the themes of future meetings between Bulgarian and Vietnamese youth.
"This will be the beginning of new, beautiful friendships that will enrich and strengthen the relations between the two countries, like the Vietnamese proverb 'Running horses have flocks, flying birds have friends'," he said.
