On July 11, 2011 the Speaker of the National Assembly Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva met with the President of Turkey Abdullah Gul during his two-day official visit to Bulgaria. The ascending development of the bilateral relations, the strengthening of the cooperation between the Bulgarian National Assembly and the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, the economic and trade relations and the partnership between the two countries in the framework of international organizations were all among the topics discussed during the meeting.  
 
The relations between our two countries have reached a distinctive pinnacle over the last twenty years, stressed the Speaker of the National Assembly and went on to point out that these are good-neighborly relations in the interest of the citizens of Bulgaria and Turkey. Parliamentarians stand closest to the people therefore the groups for friendship between our two parliaments have an important rope to play for advancing further the bilateral relations.   

I am accompanied in Bulgaria by a big delegation, a fact that bespeaks of the marked interest in enhancing and strengthening the bilateral cooperation in every field, underscored the President of Turkey Abdullah Gul. He went on to say that the more trust and understanding between the two neighboring countries, the better for their peoples who genuinely desire good-neighborly relations.

Mutual satisfaction with the fruitful cooperation between Bulgaria and Turkey in the framework of international organizations was expressed further in the talks. Examples were given with the partnership within the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.  

President Abdullah Gul signed the honorary  book of the Bulgarian parliament. The Speaker of the National Assembly guided the Turkish Head of State and his accompanying delegation to the Plenary Hall of the National Assembly.

Earlier on the day M.P.s from the Friendship group Bulgaria-Turkey met in Zapad Hall  with M.P.s from the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkey who are on the official delegation of President Abdullah Gul.