The meeting between Head of State Rumen Radev and the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Turkey Mevlut Cavusoglu, who is visiting Sofia, held at 2 Dondukov street, focused on the prospects for promoting the trade and investment exchange between Bulgaria and Turkey and the bilateral partnership in the areas of information technologies, defense and financial technologies.

The Bulgarian President and the Turkish Foreign Minister highlighted the positive trend in the business contacts between the two countries, which can be promoted by a follow-up expansion of the transport cohesion and by increasing the capacity of the border check-points.  Bilateral trade has achieved a growth of 10 percent over the past year alone. In the President’s words, this is an excellent basis for moving on to a new stage in the relations between the two countries – not only trade exchange, but also a stronger investment cooperation, joint production in the information and financial technologies and in defense and joint export to third markets.

The two countries share not only common interests and positions, but also face common challenges such as the migratory pressure and preserving security in the region, Rumen Radev further said. “We highly appreciate Turkey’s efforts for observing the joint statement made by Turkey and the EU in 2016 for fighting illegal migration,” the Head of State said. In his words, the good cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkey in the areas of migration, fighting terrorism and smuggling is of key importance for the security and stability in the whole of Europe.

At the meeting the good cooperation in the energy area was further noted, which opens up new opportunities for the diversification of the energy supplies throughout Europe.

The two shared the opinion that the good-neighborly relations between Bulgaria and Turkey are supported by an active political dialogue at all levels – presidential institutions, governments, parliaments and local authorities. “We have very clear principles in this policy – good neighborly relations, mutual respect and non-interference in domestic affairs,” the Bulgarian Head of State further said at the meeting.