Bulgaria and Romania pledged to bolster and stimulate bilateral relations between both the nations, as well as to continue their coordination in promoting joint interests in European Union and NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria Kiril Petkov met with the President of Romania Klaus Iohannis yesterday, April 29. Both the dignitaries also held significant discussions on energy security and increasing interconnectivity between Romania-Bulgaria.
President Iohannis, delightedly welcoming the Bulgarian Prime Minister, tweeted, “Welcomed Bulgaria’s PM Kiril Petkov to Cotroceni Palace. We discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation and continue our coordination to promote joint interests in the EU and NATO. Focus on energy security, increasing interconnectivity between Romania-Bulgaria, and support to Ukraine & Republic of Moldova”.
Welcomed 🇧🇬 PM @KirilPetkov to #CotroceniPalace. We discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation and continue our coordination to promote joint interests in EU & NATO. Focus on energy security, increasing interconnectivity between🇧🇬-🇷🇴, support to Ukraine & Republic of Moldova. pic.twitter.com/y5QcX3bEQa
— Klaus Iohannis (@KlausIohannis) April 29, 2022
Statement of Prime Minister Petkov, on the meeting, “Glad to meet President Klaus Iohannis. Discussed the development of our excellent bilateral relations in the last months. Romania – Bulgaria constructive cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, transport, energy, trade and tourism. We are united EU partners in our support of Ukraine”.
Glad to meet President @KlausIohannis.
Discussed the development of our excellent bilateral relations in the last months, 🇷🇴-🇧🇬 constructive cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, transport, energy, trade and tourism. We are united #EU partners in our support to Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/ujT6P33paW
— Kiril Petkov (@KirilPetkov) April 29, 2022
PM Petkov also met with his Romanian counterpart during his visit to the country.
Diplomatic ties between Romania and Bulgaria:
Both the countries share coordinated bilateral relations. Bulgaria maintains an embassy in Bucharest, while Romania has an embassy in Sofia and three honorary consulates (in – Burgas, Silistra and Vidin).
The official data shares that around 8,000 Bulgarians at the present time are residing in Romania, and nearly 5,000 Romanians are there in the Balkan state of Bulgaria. A 608 km long border is being shared by the two countries along the Danube (the second largest river in Europe).
The relations between the countries shivered in 2019 over the African swine fever (ASF), when the then Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov accused Romanians of bringing the disease, saying, “There are at least 57,000 cars crossing from Romania each day into Bulgaria. I am sure the Romanian tourists brought the disease. They eat on the – side of the road & throw the food remains that aid the spread of the swine disease. They are walking around, eating and throwing the remains all over the place. There’s nothing we can do”.
