Head of State Rosen Plevneliev and President of Mongolia Tsahyagiin Elbegdorj discussed the development of the trade relations between Bulgaria and Mongolia. In Ulan Bator, where he is on a state visit, the Bulgarian President was welcomed by his Mongolian counterpart with an official ceremony in front of the government complex. The Bulgarian Head of State’s visit is made in the context of the 65th anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Mongolia. The two presidents talked in private after which plenary talks between the delegations were held. 

 

Head of State Rosen Plevneliev highlighted that Mongolia is Bulgaria’s important partner and friend in Asia. The thousands of alumni of Bulgarian universities today play an important role in the modernization of Mongolia, the President said. “We will build on the bilateral relations in the mining, pharmacy and cosmetics, energy, agriculture and food production sectors, and also in ICT and defense sectors, and in building a state-of-the-art infrastructure. We seek comprehensive partnership and cooperation,” President Plevneliev said. “We will be your voice in the EU and a sincere friend. The Bulgarian Parliament ratified the Framework Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between the EU and Mongolia and I am convinced that this agreement will give an impetus to strengthening the relations between Bulgaria and Mongolia, particularly in the economic sector,” the Head of State added. 

 

The President highlighted Bulgaria as a regional hub in the ICT sector. The Head of State said that a Bulgarian company’s project on creating a transport oversight system in Mongolia is a successful example of cooperation. Mongolia also shows an interest in Bulgaria’s experience in the construction of the Sofia subway and the mayor of Ulan Bator is due to pay a visit to Sofia. 

 

The Bulgarian pharmaceutical companies will be encouraged to create joint ventures with Mongolian partners for the manufacture of medicines, President Plevneliev further said. In the energy sector, our country has considerable experience in running renewable energy facilities. In the food production sector, Bulgarian companies also have the potential to develop joint productions with Mongolia for the export to markets in third countries. The two presidents also discussed the potential for the production and sales of Bulgarian special production in the defense sector.

 

President Tsahyagiin Elbegdorj, for his part, also highlighted the great potential for the development of the bilateral trade relations. In his opinion, the forthcoming joint business forum, which will be held in Ulan Bator on 12 May, will give an impetus to the direct contacts between the Bulgarian and Mongolian companies. Products produced in Bulgaria which are successfully sold on the European market should also be produced in Mongolia, President Elbegdorj said. The agriculture minister of the Asian country, who is an alumnus of a Bulgarian university, will also visit Bulgaria.

 

The two countries will also work to increase the educational exchange by exchanging students. More than 3,500 Mongolians have taken their university degrees or have specialized in Bulgaria and they play an important role in the public life of our country, the Mongolian President said.

 

Tsahyagiin Elbegdorj said that Bulgaria is “Mongolia’s best friend in Europe” and thanked for our country’s support for strengthening the cooperation between the Asian country and the EU.

 

At an official ceremony attended by the two presidents, an agreement on the implementation of the Program for technical assistance in the Agriculture sector was signed, also an agreement between the Bulgarian and Mongolian Ministries of Education on implementing a scholarship program in the agrarian sciences on the tuition of Mongolian students in Bulgarian universities, an agreement on scientific cooperation between the Bulgarian Academy of Science and the Mongolian Academy of Science, and also a Memorandum on understanding between Bulgaria’s and Mongolia’s foreign ministries.

 

In Ulan Bator Head of State Rosen Plevneliev also held talks with Zandaahuugin Enkhbold, Speaker of the Great State Khural of Mongolia and with the country’s Prime Minister Chimed Saikhanbileg.