The Chairperson of the Bulgarian National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva held a meeting with the President of Israel Shimon Peres in Jerusalem. The meeting took place during the Second Political Conference on Democracy, Peace, Dialogue, organized by the Friends of Israel in the European Parliament.
Over 500 officials, chairpersons of parliaments, political leaders, members of the European Parliament and observers gathered in Jerusalem to discuss the current situation in the Middle East and prospects for partnership between the European Union and Israel.
The conference was opened with the inaugural address of the President of Israel Shimon Peres. In his speech he described the events occurring now in the Middle East as crucial and historical. President Peres said that it is extremely important to help countries in the region to overcome poverty and technological backwardness. This, in his view, is the key prerequisite for peace, democracy and prosperity in the region. Israel is  working hard for this cause because it is very interested in stable, democratic and developed neighboring countries.
The President of Israel congratulated personally all Bulgarian parliamentarians and members of Bulgaria in the European Parliament participating in the forum. He held talks with the Chairperson of the Bulgarian National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva, who is an honorary guest at the forum. Tsetska Tsacheva described to him the current political situation in Bulgaria, the priorities of the Bulgarian government and informed him on the forthcoming presidential and local elections. She pointed out that the top priority for our country is our accession to the Schengen area in order Bulgaria to be reliable external EU border. Tsetska Tsacheva also presented the favorable business environment in Bulgaria, which in her words, offers very good conditions for foreign investment.
Special importance in the conversation between the two top officials had the topic of the Bulgarian Jews rescue during World War II. “Bulgaria is in my heart. It is the most beloved country in Israel, we will forever be grateful for what the Bulgarian people had done”, said the Israeli president. According to Shimon Peres, Bulgaria has a great potential for development and the two friendly people could have even tighter and fruitful cooperation.
On February 7, 2011 the Chairperson of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva is invited to deliver a statement before the Knesset of the State of Israel in Jerusalem.
On February 6, 2011 the Speaker of Bulgaria’s parliament and the rest of the deputies had meeting with distinguished members of the Bulgarian Jewish community in Israel. Together with prominent Israeli historian Michael Bar-Zohar, she opened a roundtable discussion devoted to the victims of the Holocaust and the rescue of Bulgarian Jews during Second World War.