The joint session of the friendship groups in the Parliament of Bulgaria and the Senate of France is to be carried out as part of the initiative for a Thracian art exhibition at the Louvre between April 14 and July 22, 2015. The date was agreed between the Chairperson of the Bulgarian National Assembly, Mrs. Tsetska Tsacheva, and Loic Herve, Chairman of the France-Bulgaria Friendship Group in the French Senate.

The exhibition is to be the result of the efforts of Bulgaria and France for a closer development of the cultural relations between the two countries. Tsetska Tsacheva and the Senator Herve confirmed that traditionally, Bulgarian-French relations are close and friendly both at government and parliamentary level. The two spoke in favor of strengthening bilateral cooperation in all areas of mutual interest.

Bulgaria attaches an exceptional importance to establishing direct, permanent contacts with France as a strategic partner. She stressed her country's strong interest in larger two-way trade and French investments, Tsacheva said.

In her words a quick, adequate assessment and new solutions are needed to tackle the challenges facing Europe today. Tsacheva also noted that being an external EU border, Bulgaria is faced with the challenge of a refugee wave, which is subject to public debate and is on the agenda of all Bulgarian institutions. She added that Bulgaria is reforming many areas, especially the judiciary, where it strictly applies the EU's recommendations.

Both sides agreed that creating a favorable, predictable and stable political, economic and regulatory environment for business is key to the further development of Bulgarian-French trade and economic relations.
Later tonight the Chair of Parliament is to meet the Pressident of the French National Assembly Claude Bartolone.

Tsacheva also met with the prominent French politician CatherineLalumiere. Tsacheva gave Lalumiere a martenitsa, a traditional Bulgarian symbol of spring, health and hope, which will be included in UNESCO's
list of intangible cultural heritage at the end of 2015.

Tsacheva and Lalumiere met at the House of Europe in Paris during Tsacheva’s participation in a High-level Conference, organized by UNESCO and entitled "Re-Thinking Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality in 2015 and beyond".

They discussed current topics on Europe's agenda and the challenges faced by the European Union.

On the occasion of Bulgaria's national holiday marked on March 3, Tsacheva will present former Council of Europe Secretary General Lalumiere with an honorary diploma on Thursday evening. The French politician will receive the distinction for her exceptional contribution to the development of Bulgarian-French political relations and Bulgaria's accession to the European structures.