News

On 9-11 June Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas paid an official visit to Bulgaria and met President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov, Vice-President of the National Assembly Lyuben Kornezov, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin, Mayor of Sofia Boiko Borisov and discussed important issues of bilateral relations, European Union’s agenda, economic relations development prospects.

President of Bulgaria G. Parvanov, who received Lithuanian Foreign Minister, welcomed close and constructive relations between Lithuania and Bulgaria. P. Vaitiekūnas verbally conveyed Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus’ invitation to visit Lithuania with delegation of businessmen. The invitation was accepted by Bulgarian President.

Lithuanian and Bulgarian ministers of foreign affairs P. Vaitiekūnas and I. Kalfin noted that Lithuania and Bulgaria hold very similar positions on many significant issues such as the future and enlargement of the EU, Energy Policy, the EU’s relations with Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, the EU Neighbourhood policy.

“Lithuania holds an opinion, that the European Neighbourhood Policy should be transferred to qualitatively new level strengthening its Eastern direction,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister P. Vaitiekūnas said.

Bulgarian Minister noted that Bulgaria is interested in joining European integration projects in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia initiated by Lithuania. I. Kalfin showed interest in Lithuania’s experience of using the resources of the EU Structural Funds and  of the Schengen membership.

At the meeting with Vice-President of the National Assembly L. Kornezov the attention was focused on possibilities of development of Lithuanian-Bulgarian interparliamentary relations. During the conversation with Mayor of Sofia B. Borisov Minister P. Vaitiekūnas conveyed invitation of Vilnius’ Mayor Juozas Imbrasas to visit the events of “Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009”.

During the visit special attention was paid to the prospects of development of economic ties. A delegation of Lithuanian businessmen accompanied Minister P. Vaitiekūnas to Bulgaria. In Sofia the businessmen took part in Lithuanian-Bulgarian Business Forum, P. Vaitiekūnas’ meeting with the Mayor of Sofia, meetings with representatives of other Bulgarian institutions and business associations.

“Though the trade turnover between Lithuania and Bulgaria is growing and Lithuanian businessmen discovered Bulgaria as an attractive country for investment, there are many unused opportunities for enhancing economic relations. We should make use of them,” Minister P. Vaitiekūnas said at the Business Forum.

On 1 October Lithuanian Embassy in Sofia and Bulgarian Embassy in Vilnius were established.