site.btaUPDATED Bulgaria Can Play Important Role in Lebanon’s Recovery and Economic Development, President Radev Says

Bulgaria can play an important role in the recovery and economic development of Lebanon, President Rumen Radev said here on Monday following his meeting with visiting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. The two heads of state made joint statements to the media.

“We express our readiness to deepen relations in the fields of economy, investment, trade, military, agriculture, and especially in education and culture,” President Radev added.

The Lebanese President is on an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of his Bulgarian counterpart. The visit takes place on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Lebanon, which will be marked next year, the Bulgarian President’s Press Office announced. 

The unprecedented escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the profound changes underway in the region’s security architecture have placed friendly Lebanon at a historic crossroads in its pursuit of political and economic stability, said Radev. “Today’s talks reflect our readiness, as leaders of our two nations, to contribute to deepening our relations, partnership, cooperation, and joint efforts to promote peace and stability in this crucial region for the entire world,” he stated.

The Bulgarian head of state congratulated President Aoun for his leadership and for the efforts of the Lebanese government to restore peace, prosperity, and security in the country. According to Radev, this is of great importance not only for Lebanon and the Middle East but also “for us and for the entire European Union.”

“We share the belief that there is significant potential to enhance our cooperation in education, culture, and high technology — beyond the traditional fields of partnership,” Radev continued. While current trade volumes remain modest, he noted, the trend in recent years suggests that joint efforts could lead to substantial growth in bilateral trade and economic relations. The President emphasized the need to update the legal and regulatory framework and called for the creation of a joint commission on economic and scientific-technical cooperation to provide a stable institutional basis for better coordination between the two countries’ economies and business communities.

Radev also highlighted defence industry and security cooperation — including military-technical and military-medical education — as particularly promising areas of partnership. To make this possible, he stressed, both sides must ensure better conditions for regular communication between people and businesses. “That is why we expect the direct flight service between Beirut and Sofia to be restored,” he said.

President Radev recalled that even during the most difficult years of Lebanon’s civil war, Bulgaria’s national carrier Balkan Airlines continued its flights to Beirut, and the Bulgarian Embassy never withdrew, unlike those of many other countries. “This demonstrates the importance both nations attach to our friendship and partnership,” he noted.

“I expressed my support for Lebanon’s efforts toward stabilization, security, and peace. We also support the dialogue between the EU and Lebanon,” Radev said, adding that Bulgaria will provide its backing ahead of the first EU–Lebanon Association Council meeting in eight years.

“This visit reflects our shared desire to reinvigorate the high-level political dialogue and the traditionally friendly relations between our countries and peoples,” the Bulgarian head of State concluded.

Joseph Aoun was elected President of Lebanon by the Lebanese Parliament on January 9, ending a more than two-year vacancy in the country’s presidency, which had remained unfilled since October 2022, Reuters and the Associated Press reported at the time.