site.btaBulgarian Parliament Chair Commends Turkiye's Efforts to Initiate Russia-Ukraine Dialogue, Support Peace in Europe

Bulgaria highly values Turkiye’s efforts to initiate negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and to support peace in Europe, said National Assembly Chair Natalia Kiselova on Wednesday, as quoted by Parliament's press office. Kiselova was speaking at a meeting with Hulusi Akar, Chair of the National Defence Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye.

The Turkish delegation, led by Committee Chair Hulusi Akar, is on an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of the Bulgarian National Assembly’s Defence Committee.

Kiselova emphasized that active parliamentary dialogue lays the foundation for deepening and expanding bilateral relations in areas of mutual interest. She underscored the importance of legislative cooperation in sectors such as economy, transport, communications, and investment.

“Turkiye is not only our neighbor but also a NATO ally and an important partner in key areas like migration, energy, transport, trade, and counterterrorism,” Kiselova noted. She praised the stable and constructive cooperation in defence, based on principles of good neighborliness, mutual respect, and partnership. “As regional allies, we continue to work together to address shared security challenges,” she added.

Akar said Bulgaria's NATO accession in 2004 opened up many opportunities for joint efforts to strengthen the Alliance’s Eastern flank. He highlighted shared parliamentary interest in boosting mutual investment, military industry cooperation, combating illegal migration, and mine countermeasures in the Black Sea. “Turkiye remains committed to diplomacy as the path to regional peace and stability,” Akar added.

Kiselova also noted that in 2025, Bulgaria assumed the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and the Parliamentary Dimension of the South-East European Cooperation Process, with a focus on promoting peace and stability. She expressed hope for Turkish support in this regard.

Bulgaria’s Defence Committee Chair Hristo Gadzhev stressed the strong bilateral partnership not only in defence and security, but also in addressing illegal migration and terrorism.

Bulgaria’s National Assembly Foreign Policy Committee Chair Yordanka Fandakova said that cooperation on migration is of strategic importance not only for Bulgaria but for the EU as a whole.

She pointed out that bilateral trade reached a record EUR 7.7 billion in 2024, marking a 15.6% increase compared to 2023. Promising areas for future cooperation include innovation, digital infrastructure, green technologies, and low-carbon energy solutions.

Akar emphasized the role of parliamentary diplomacy in advancing bilateral ties. “Our job as parliamentarians is to outline the framework and priorities for executive action. Working together, Bulgaria and Turkiye can play a key role in ensuring peace and stability in our region,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the Turkish delegation also met with members of the Bulgaria-Turkiye Friendship Group in the National Assembly. Both sides agreed that interparliamentary dialogue and cooperation between friendship groups can help advance joint projects and strengthen business ties.

On Tuesday, Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov met with the Turkish parliamentary delegation. The talks focused on ways to deepen cooperation in the areas of security and defence.