At the talks, the two National Assembly Chairmen expressed their joy and pride in the achievements after 73 years of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries (1950 - 2023), with bilateral cooperation developing positively in all areas. Although 2023 was a difficult year for global trade, Vietnam and Bulgaria achieved a trade turnover of more than 200 million USD.
The two leaders agreed that in 2024, the two sides will soon convene the Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Trade and Scientific Cooperation, open up new areas of cooperation, and facilitate markets for each other's goods under the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said that Vietnam has made efforts to implement the European Commission (EC)'s recommendations on sustainable fish development, and asked Bulgaria to urge the EC to consider and remove the IUU "yellow card" for Vietnamese seafood.
In particular, appreciating the Bulgarian National Assembly for ratifying the Vietnam - EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) right before the visit in September 2023, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue emphasized that EVIPA will help Bulgarian businesses access Vietnam's market of over 100 million people and reach out to the ASEAN market - a region with over 650 million people. National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue hopes Bulgaria will urge the remaining EU member parliaments to ratify the EVIPA so that it can take effect soon.
The National Assembly Chairman suggested that the two sides should study a new educational cooperation program to attract students and postgraduates from both countries to study at schools and training institutions in each country in areas where both sides have strengths and international links. At the same time, the two sides should soon convene the Science and Technology Cooperation Committee to promote cooperation in areas where Bulgaria has strengths such as information technology, artificial intelligence (AI), high technology, digital transformation, green transformation, etc.
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue highly appreciated the cultural activities held in the two countries, and suggested that the two sides coordinate in organizing annual cultural and artistic exchanges, especially towards the 2025 milestone, the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue also suggested that Bulgaria facilitate visa issuance for Vietnamese citizens. The two sides should promote tourism in each country, exchange delegations of tourism businesses, and develop sustainable tourism.
The two National Assembly Chairmen agreed that the two sides should promote cultural cooperation and people-to-people exchange, deepening and strengthening the relationship according to the 2024-2026 Cultural Cooperation Program signed in September 2023; and welcomed cooperation between localities of the two countries.
The Chairman of the Bulgarian National Assembly agreed with the proposal of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue that the two countries should soon sign a government-level agreement to facilitate businesses implementing labor cooperation projects in Bulgaria in the fields of health, construction, garment and agriculture, etc., as Bulgaria is currently experiencing a labor shortage.
Propose Bulgaria supports Vietnam's stance on the East Sea
Regarding cooperation between the two countries' parliaments, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue highly appreciated the Bulgarian National Assembly's recent establishment of a friendship parliamentary group with the Vietnamese National Assembly to coordinate with the Vietnam-Bulgaria Friendship Parliamentarians Group to act as a bridge to promote cooperation between the two parliaments.
The two leaders agreed that the two countries' National Assemblies will continue to implement the new memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two countries' National Assemblies, which was signed in September 2023; and pledged to implement it quickly, actively, and effectively in practice in the spirit of cooperation between the two countries' National Assemblies, which is an important pillar in Vietnam-Bulgaria relations.
The cooperation between the two friendship parliamentary groups will contribute to creating conditions for the two countries' National Assemblies to coordinate with each other and at the same time supervise the implementation of bilateral plans and agreements from 2024.
Along with that, the two sides continue to maintain exchanges of high-level delegations of the National Assembly, National Assembly agencies, and friendship parliamentary groups of the two countries...
Discussing the regional and international situation, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue asked Bulgaria to support the stance of ASEAN and Vietnam on the East Sea in accordance with international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); ensure security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation, maintain peace, stability and development cooperation in the region and globally.
The two leaders welcomed the two countries' mutual support for their participation in the United Nations Council; and enhanced cooperation within the framework of Vietnam-EU relations...
The two National Assembly Chairmen expressed their belief that the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Bulgaria will be continuously consolidated and strongly developed in the coming time, especially towards the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025.
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