We will continue to work to ensure Bulgaria's role as a main regional center for the distribution of natural gas from Azerbaijan, said the Speaker of the National Assembly Natalia Kiselova during her meeting with the Speaker of the Milli Mejlis of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova. This was announced by the press center of the parliament.
A central place in our cooperation is occupied by energy, energy diversification and connectivity Europe – Asia, with important projects being implemented, the Speaker of the Parliament pointed out. We are convinced that both countries have significant benefits from developing this cooperation, she added.
Improving connectivity between Europe and Asia, and in particular progress on the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor/TCTC, also known as the “Middle Corridor“, is another area with great potential for our bilateral cooperation, Natalia Kiselova also pointed out.
Kiselova noted that she appreciates the interaction between parliaments as an important building block in the development of relations between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan, which strengthens the strategic dialogue and contributes to upgrading bilateral ties. Maintaining high-level parliamentary contacts, including between parliamentary committees and friendship groups, play an important role in the development of Bulgarian-Azerbaijani relations as a whole and contain untapped potential, which we should utilize in the future, she added.
The Speaker of the National Assembly emphasized that there are excellent relations between the two countries, elevated to the level of strategic partnership. There are no open or unresolved issues between us, added Natalia Kiselova. According to her, the excellent bilateral relations are accompanied by a high intensity of political dialogue, an expression of which are the numerous bilateral visits, meetings and talks at high and highest levels in recent years.
It was noted at the meeting that Bulgaria and Azerbaijan have a common will to deepen fruitful relations in the fields of education, culture and tourism, which would support even more intensive contacts between the two peoples. Environmental protection and mutual investments are also important topics, the chairmen of the two legislative institutions pointed out.
Natalia Kiselova extended an invitation to the Speaker of the Parliament of Azerbaijan Sahiba Gafarova to visit Bulgaria.
A Bulgarian parliamentary delegation, led by the Speaker of the Parliament, is in Baku to participate in the 65th General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PACES). It includes the head of the National Assembly delegation to the PABSEC, Petar Kanev, and the member of the Bulgaria-Azerbaijan friendship group and Chairman of the Committee on Transport and Communications, Kiril Dobrev.
Earlier, the members of the delegation laid flowers in front of the Victory Monument and at the grave of the national leader of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev.