 |
| National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue welcomed Bulgarian National Assembly Chairman Rossen Dimitrov Jeliazkov. (Source: VNA) |
At the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue, National Assembly Chairman Rossen Dimitrov Jeliazkov and a high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria paid an official visit to Vietnam from January 5-9.
On the morning of January 8, at the National Assembly House, a solemn welcoming ceremony for National Assembly Chairman Rossen Jeliazkov and the high-ranking delegation of the Bulgarian National Assembly took place, chaired by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue. After the welcoming ceremony, a small meeting between the two National Assembly Chairmen took place, followed by talks.
Warmly welcoming National Assembly Chairman Rossen Jeliazkov and the delegation, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue highly appreciated the visit to Vietnam (after 12 years) of the Bulgarian National Assembly Chairman, and shared his deep impressions during his visit to the beautiful "land of roses" in September 2023 with the solemn and warm welcome of the Bulgarian leaders and people for the high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese National Assembly.
Expressing his delight at leading a high-ranking delegation of the Bulgarian National Assembly to pay an official visit to Vietnam on New Year's Day 2024, National Assembly Speaker Rossen Jeliazkov emphasized that this visit continues to affirm Bulgaria's desire to strengthen its traditional friendship with Vietnam, Bulgaria's leading important partner in Asia.
Vietnam is a member of ASEAN and Bulgaria is a member of the European Union (EU). The President of the Bulgarian National Assembly believes that promoting cooperation between the two countries is very important and continuous, and hopes that the traditional friendship will develop in the spirit of the Vietnam-Bulgaria Joint Statement (2013).
 |
| National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue welcomed Bulgarian National Assembly Chairman Rossen Dimitrov Jeliazkov. (Source: VNA) |
The two leaders expressed their joy and pride in the achievements after 73 years of establishing diplomatic relations (1950-2023), bilateral cooperation has developed positively in all fields such as: politics - diplomacy, economics - trade - investment, science - technology, education - training, defense - security, culture, sports and tourism, local cooperation...
Although 2023 is a difficult year for global trade, the two countries have achieved a trade turnover of more than 200 million USD. The two leaders agreed that in 2024, the two sides will soon meet the Intergovernmental Committee on Economic, Trade and Scientific Cooperation, open up new areas of cooperation, and facilitate the market for each other's goods under the Vietnam-EU Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).
The National Assembly Chairman said that Vietnam has made efforts to implement the European Commission (EC) recommendations on sustainable fish development, and asked Bulgaria to urge the European Commission to consider and remove the "yellow card" (IUU) for Vietnamese seafood.
Particularly appreciating the Bulgarian National Assembly's ratification of the Vietnam-European Union Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) right before his visit in September 2023, the National Assembly Chairman emphasized that EVIPA will help Bulgarian businesses access Vietnam's market of more than 100 million people and reach out to the ASEAN market - a region with more than 650 million people. The National Assembly Chairman hopes that Bulgaria will urge the remaining EU member parliaments to ratify the EVIPA so that it can soon take effect.
The National Assembly Chairman emphasized that Vietnam always remembers the valuable, wholehearted and righteous assistance that Bulgaria has given to Vietnam in the past struggle for independence and national reunification as well as in the present construction and development; and thanked Bulgaria for helping to train tens of thousands of Vietnamese officials, students and researchers, including many high-ranking Vietnamese leaders.
The two sides need to 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. Along with that, 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 speaks. (Source: VNA) |
National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue highly appreciated the cultural activities held in the two countries (Rose Festival, Slavic Writing Culture Day in Hanoi, Burgas Festival 2017, Sozopol Festival 2016...); at the same time, he suggested that the two sides coordinate annual cultural and artistic exchanges, especially towards 2025, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries; suggested that Bulgaria help Vietnam train and coach sports such as fencing, shooting, weightlifting... and send athletes to Vietnam to participate in exchange tournaments. Bulgaria facilitates the issuance of visas for Vietnamese citizens. The two sides promote tourism promotion in each country, exchange delegations of tourism businesses, develop sustainable tourism...
The two National Assembly Chairmen agreed that the two sides should promote cultural cooperation, promote people-to-people exchange, deepen and strengthen the relationship, according to the "Cultural Cooperation Program 2024-2026" signed in September 2023; welcome cooperation between localities of the two countries, including: Sophia Capital with Hanoi Capital, Ho Chi Minh City; Varna with Da Nang; Ruse with Can Tho, Sumen with Thanh Hoa, Pleven and Son La, Veliko Tarnovo and Hue and most recently Vinh Phuc with Pernik....
 |
| Bulgarian Parliament Speaker Rossen Dimitrov Jeliazkov speaks. (Source: VNA) |
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 healthcare, construction, garment and agriculture, etc., as Bulgaria is currently experiencing a labor shortage.
The two sides continued to effectively implement the 2013 Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation, including sharing experiences in United Nations peacekeeping operations and supporting Vietnam in overcoming the consequences of bombs and mines...
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 Parliamentarians' Group with the Vietnamese National Assembly to coordinate with the Vietnam-Bulgaria Friendship Parliamentarians' Group as a bridge to promote cooperation between the 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 promptly, 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 Parliamentary Friendship Groups will contribute to creating conditions for the two countries' National Assemblies to coordinate with each other and at the same time monitor 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 Parliamentarians' Groups; enhance the exchange of information and experience in parliamentary activities of each country; coordinate to monitor and promote the effective implementation of cooperation agreements between the two governments; support and exchange experiences in building and perfecting the legal system to facilitate and create conditions for the governments, ministries, localities, businesses and people of the two countries to increase exchanges and cooperation on the basis of mutual benefit; maintain contact, consultation, coordination and mutual support at multilateral parliamentary forums as well as on regional and world issues of mutual concern.
 |
| National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue holds talks with Bulgarian National Assembly Chairman Rossen Dimitrov Jeliazkov. (Source: VNA) |
The Chairman of the Bulgarian National Assembly stated that this visit of the Delegation will create a good premise for the coming years, so that both sides can be proud of what has been achieved on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of Bulgaria-Vietnam diplomatic relations in 2025.
Along with that, the political consultation between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries scheduled to be held in Hanoi and the 24th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of the two countries scheduled to be held in the capital Sofia are events that contribute to strengthening the cooperative relationship between the two countries. Especially the trade exchange of value-added products, potential areas of cooperation such as: high-tech agriculture, pharmaceuticals, information technology, innovation, tourism...
National Assembly Chairman Rossen Jeliazkov said that the strategic agreements signed between Vietnam and the EU, of which Bulgaria is a member, will contribute to further expanding cooperation between the two countries, including EVIPA and EVFTA. Bulgaria wishes to strengthen cooperation to improve the quality of education, culture, gender equality, etc. The two sides can exchange lecturers to teach at universities in the two countries.
During the talks, the two leaders discussed regional and international situations. Vietnam highly appreciated the common stance of the EU on the East Sea (August 2019), of which Bulgaria is a member. The National Assembly Chairman asked Bulgaria to support the stance of ASEAN and Vietnam on the East Sea in accordance with international law, UNCLOS 1982; ensuring security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation, maintaining peace, stability and development cooperation in the region and globally.
 |
| National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Bulgarian National Assembly Chairman Rossen Dimitrov Jeliazkov chaired a press conference to announce the results of the talks. (Source: VNA) |
The two leaders welcomed the two countries' mutual support for membership in the Human Rights Council, Bulgaria for the 2024-2026 term and Vietnam for the 2023-2025 term. The National Assembly Chairman asked Bulgaria to support Vietnam in the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2026-2028 term, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the 2030-2032 term and the United Nations Security Council for the 2032-2033 term...
The two sides will promote cooperation within the frameworks of Vietnam-EU relations such as the Vietnam-EU Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), the EVFTA, EVIPA, etc., and closely coordinate at the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) for peace, stability and sustainable development. As the ASEAN Coordinator in ASEM (2023-2024), Vietnam will coordinate with Bulgaria and other members to resume ASEM activities in the coming time.
The National Assembly Chairman thanked Bulgaria for supporting the Vietnamese community to overcome the pandemic and continue to integrate into the host society; and proposed continuing to create favorable conditions for the community to make practical contributions to bilateral cooperation.
In the optimism of the new year 2024, 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.
 |
| National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and Bulgarian National Assembly Chairman Rossen Dimitrov Jeliazkov witnessed the signing ceremony of the Cooperation Agreement between Lai Chau city and Kazanlak city of Bukgaria. (Source: VNA) |
Immediately after the talks, the two National Assembly Chairmen witnessed the signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between the leaders of Lai Chau city and Kazanlak city, Kazanlak province (Bulgaria); met with reporters from both countries to announce the results of the talks.
On the same morning, National Assembly Chairman Rossen Jeliazkov and the delegation visited the National Assembly's Traditional Room and signed the Golden Book of Memories.
According to the program, in the evening of the same day, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue hosted a reception for National Assembly Chairman Rossen Jeliazkov and the high-ranking delegation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria.
(according to VNA)
Source
![[Photo] National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man chairs the first meeting of the National Assembly Party Executive Committee for the 2020-2025 term](https://vstatic.vietnam.vn/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/2/11/99d10a53c387468d9c5a099ffff2d4b3)
Comment (0)