MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th June, 2019) Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with his Bulgarian counterpart, Rumen Radev, in the Russian city of St. Petersburg on Thursday.
Bulgaria established diplomatic relations with Russia on July 7, 1879 and later with the Soviet Union on July 23, 1934. These ties were briefly severed from September 1944 to August 1945.
The two countries signed the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation on August 4, 1992.
The relationship between Russia and Bulgaria are defined by regular top- and high-level contacts.
From January 17-18, 2008, Putin paid an official visit to Bulgaria, where he held talks with then-Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov, and met with the prime minister at the time, Sergei Stanishev, and National Assembly Chairman Georgi Pirinski.
From February 4-6, 2009, Parvanov was in Russia for his own official visit, which was followed, shortly afterward, by Stanishev's working visit from April 26-28.
On November 13, 2010, Putin, as Russia's prime minister, arrived to the Bulgarian capital of Sofia for a working visit, during which he met with Parvanov and then-Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov.
In February 2014, then-Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and his prime minister, Plamen Oresharski, came to Russia to attend the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
From May 21-22, 2018, Radev was in Russia for a working visit. During talks at the highest level, the parties discussed various aspects of bilateral relations. The Bulgarian president also met with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
On May 30, 2018, Borissov, as Bulgaria's prime minister, came to Russia for a working visit. He held talks with Putin and discussed matters regarding the future development of Russian-Bulgarian cooperation in the political, economic and humanitarian fields, as well as key international topics such as international terrorism. Borissov also met with Medvedev.
On October 19, 2018, Medvedev and Borissov met on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting.
From March 4-5, 2019, Medvedev paid an official visit to Bulgaria, holding negotiations with both Borissov and Radev. The Russian prime minister also also met with Patriarch Neophytos of Bulgaria.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visited Sofia in July 2014, a trip that coincided with the 135th anniversary of the established of diplomatic relations.
Consultations between the foreign ministries regarding both international and bilateral matters are held regularly.
The countries also develop interparliamentary and interministerial contacts.
From March 14-16, 2010, the Chairperson of Bulgaria's National Assembly, Tsetska Tsacheva, was in Moscow on an official visit.
From May 22-25, 2012, Russian upper house speaker Valentina Matvienko paid an official visit to Bulgaria.
In recent years, the dialogue between Russia and Bulgaria has not always been successful, and many joint projects with Bulgaria have been canceled.
Pressured by the United States and the European Union, Sofia decided to abandon plans to build the strategic South Stream gas pipeline.
In March 2012, the Bulgarian authorities decided to freeze the Belene nuclear power plant's construction, in which Russia actively participated. Currently, the Bulgarian partners are showing interest in developing constructive interaction in this area.
Russian-Bulgarian trade increased by 23.5 percent in 2017, amounting to $3.44 billion. At the end of 2018, bilateral trade had increased by 0.6 percent and amounted to $3.46 billion. Russian exports and imports in 2018 came out to $2.9 billion and $525.3 million, respectively.
Prospects for increasing and diversifying bilateral trade are discussed within the Russian-Bulgarian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. The commission held its 16th meeting in Moscow on October 25, 2018 � the next one is scheduled for September 2019 and will take place in Bulgaria.
Russian exports to Bulgaria mainly comprise mineral products, which account for more than 80 percent of Russia's total exports. The exported goods also include machinery, equipment and transport vehicles, metals and metal products, and chemicals.
Russia's imports, on the other hand, primarily consist of machinery, equipment and transport vehicles, chemical products, textiles and footwear, and food and agricultural products.
Russia is the only exporter of natural gas to Bulgaria, delivering 3.17 billion cubic meters (111 billion cubic feet) last year alone.
Russian hydrocarbons are transited to other countries in southeastern Europe through Bulgaria.
A project that would make the TurkStream gas pipeline run through Bulgaria is currently under discussion.
The two countries also cooperate in the nuclear power field.
In 2018, Russian state nuclear company Rosatom officially offered to study the possibly of extending the lifespan of the 5th and 6th power units of Bulgaria's only nuclear power plant, Kozloduy, by 30 years.
Bulgaria also decided to resume the Belene NPP project that year, with Rosatom declaring its readiness to participate.
In the meantime, interregional links are getting stronger. Now, more than 80 Russian regions are developing partnerships with Bulgarian regions. In that vein, the 3rd Russian-Bulgarian forum of twin cities was held in Varna from Monday to Wednesday, and 30 Russian educational municipal institutions were represented.
Cultural and humanitarian contacts are also progressing dynamically, with tours of Russian musical, choreographic and theatrical groups and performers to Bulgaria being very successful.
In May 2018, for the first time in 40 years, the Sofia Opera and Ballet preformed at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow.
The Days of Moscow Culture were held in Sofia, Varna and Pleven from September 30 to October 5, 2018.
As part of interuniversity cooperation programs, an academic exchange between Russian and Bulgarian higher educational institutions is actively developing.
The Russian language remains the second most popular foreign language in Bulgarian schools. The country even has a network of centers and offices belonging to the Russkiy Mir Foundation, an organization that promotes the Russian language worldwide.
Russia is also Bulgaria's strategic partner in tourism. In 2018, Bulgaria was visited by more than half a million tourists from Russia.
About 300,000 Russians own homes on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast � Russians have invested a total of $5 billion in Bulgarian real estate.
Interchurch ties are also developing. On March 2-4, 2018, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill visited Bulgaria and took part in celebrations marking the 140th anniversary of the country's liberation from the Ottoman yoke.
