Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova had a meeting on 17 June with Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria Nataliya Kiselova who is visiting in our country to take part in the 65^th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation (PABSEC) taking place in Baku.

A confidence was voiced at the meeting that Nataliya Kiselova’s first visit to Azerbaijan will serve the cause of strengthening the relations between our states and their parliaments further.

Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova remarked that she as the PABSEC Incumbent Chairwoman would relegate the presidency in the Organisation to Bulgaria during the session; she stressed that PABSEC was an important inter-parliamentary collaboration platform.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova described Azerbaijan and Bulgaria as friendly countries and strategic partners. The countries’ political ties as well as the reciprocal visits of President Ilham Aliyev and President Rumen Radev have the key role in furthering the bilateral relations. The presence of our countries’ intensive and fruitful co-operation in various areas with the energy co-operation being the topmost area was mentioned as the conversation went on.

The need to increase trade turnover between the two countries was underscored during the conversation; the co-operation in humanitarian, educational, scientific and cultural spheres, as well as the activities of mutual language and cultural centres were referenced with satisfaction.

The Speaker of the Milli Majlis said that the interaction between our parliaments is one of the factors exerting significant positive influence on the bilateral and multilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria. The joint activities of the inter-parliamentary friendship groups play a substantial role in this field, besides.

Besides, the Speakers discussed the development of relations between parliamentary committees and the strengthening of the co-operation within international parliamentary organisations.

Speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria Nataliya Kiselova thanked for the meeting before witnessing contentment with the high level of the relations between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan and stressing that her visit was an evidence of the relationship. The guest proceeded to underline the significance of PABSEC as a remarkable platform to utilise to develop the relations between our countries.

The Speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria then said that the Bulgarian people appreciate highly the restoration of the Trapezitsa Archaeological Museum Reserve in Veliko Tarnovo with the financial support provided by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. 

She also shared her views on co-operation within regional and international parliamentary organisations, the activities of mutual parliamentary friendship groups and the significance of parliamentary diplomacy.

Other matters of interest to both sides were talked over at the meeting, too.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis