At the eve of Bulgaria’s national holiday May 24, the president of the Russian Federation’s Federation Council of the Federal Assembly, Mrs. Valentina Matviyenko, and a parliamentary delegation led by her, is on official visit to Bulgaria. The visit is at the invitation of National Assembly President Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva.

The chair of the National Assembly had noticed before media representatives that during the official meeting and the talks between the two delegations both parties have noted the centuries long, traditionally close relations between the peoples of Bulgaria and Russia. The parties discussed their cooperation in the context of Bulgaria’s EU and NATO membership and the strategic partnership of Russia with the two organizations. The focus was put on the parliamentary cooperation between the two countries and the interaction between different regions in Bulgaria and the Russian Federation. Tsetska Tsacheva stated that the parliaments in the two countries will further deepen their contacts especially through the friendship groups.

The precious between the people of Bulgaria and Russia is our common alphabet and close cultures, stressed the chair of Bulgaria’s parliament. The common alphabet is the nucleus around which we had built our relations in the cultural and artistic field, added Tsetska Tsacheva.

Valentina Matviyenko defined the relations between the two Slavic, orthodox peoples as brotherly. She said there is a lot in common between us, mentioning also the fact that for the first time in their history both countries have elected women to preside over their parliaments. She has thanked for the invitation to visit Bulgaria  and to take part in the celebrations of the Bulgarian Education and Culture and Slavic Script Day, noting that May 24 has been declared a national holiday in Russia.