There is room for increasing the economic and trade exchange between Bulgaria and Switzerland and Swiss investments in Bulgaria, is the common opinion of the presidents of the two countries Tsetska Tsacheva and Christa Markwalder. The President of the National Council of the Parliament of the Swiss Confederation is on a three-day official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the President of the Bulgarian Parliament.

The business representatives in Switzerland have manifested their interest in investing in Bulgaria, noted the President of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva before journalists in Parliament. She pointed out that the excellent friendly relations between the two countries were a sound basis and a precondition for development of cooperation in various areas.

Economic ties between the two countries are at an exceptionally good level, but there is room and potential for their further development, said the President of the National Council of the Swiss Parliament. On the Swiss side, there is interest in increasing investment in Bulgaria, the country is attractive as a place of investment, Christa Markwalder pointed out. Implementation of various reforms in the area of justice and other areas also contributes to improving the investment climate, she added.

The President of the National Assembly Tsetska Tsacheva expressed her gratitude for the financial support provided by Switzerland in eliminating differences between newly accepted EU members from Central and Eastern Europe. With the financial support from Switzerland under the “Domino” project for introduction of dual education in the 2015-2016 school year the first two pilot projects were implemented at schools in Sofia and Kazanlak, she noted. Tsetska Tsacheva added that the programme would extend its scope in the next school year to cover Sofia, Pleven, Targovishte, Stara Zagora, Burgas and other towns. I expressed the hope of the Bulgarian authorities for a new programming period and additional financial assistance in the critically important for us dual education project, the President of the National Assembly pointed out.
I am glad that the funds Bulgaria receives under the financial assistance by Switzerland have been used expressly for the intended purposes to address the differences in the standard of living between Bulgarian and European citizens, Christa Markwalder stated. She specified that during her visit she had been able to see that herself and had visited Plovdiv where such a project was being implemented.

Christa Markwalder was welcomed in the plenary hall of the Bulgarian Parliament and attended the presentation of the book by Prof. Venelin Tsachevski “Bulgaria and Switzerland together in history” at the Deputies Club. The chairperson of the Friendship Group Bulgaria – Switzerland Sylvia Hubenova noted that the book presented analytically and personally the relations between the two countries. The book is published on the occasion of the 100-anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Switzerland and it also examines the 150-year history of the relations between the two countries.