site.btaBulgaria Opens Consulate in Turkiye's Izmir

The Council of Ministers Thursday adopted a decision to open a Bulgarian consulate in Turkiye, headed by an honorary (non-career) consular officer, with its seat in Izmir and a consular district covering the territories of the provinces of Izmir, Sakarya, Bilesik, Eskisehir, Kocaeli, and Kutahya. The functions of honorary consul will be performed by Hasan Akgun, the Government Information Service reported.

In his capacity as honorary consul, he will assist Bulgarian institutions and citizens in their relations with Turkiye's institutions, protect the interests of citizens of the sending state in the host country, and assist in establishing lasting cooperative relations between educational and cultural actors in Bulgaria and Turkiye.

Izmir is the third largest city in Turkiye and one of the country’s leading industrial, logistics, and port hubs, oriented toward the Aegean Sea, the Mediterranean basin, and European markets. The city serves as a natural bridge between the Balkans, the Middle East, and North Africa, making it a hub of centuries-long coexistence among diverse ethnic and religious communities. This diversity creates a favourable environment for the development of cultural diplomacy, educational exchange, and the promotion of Bulgarian culture, the press release reads.