site.btaUPDATED Bulgarian-Hungarian Relations Are Example of Partnership, Constructive Dialogue, President Radev Says

Relations between Bulgaria and Hungary are an example of partnership and constructive dialogue at all levels, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said after his one-on-one meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Tamas Sulyok in Sofia on Monday. The Hungarian head of State is paying an official visit to Bulgaria at Radev's invitation.

President Radev noted that this year marks the 105th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. 

“We discussed the situation in the Western Balkans and the European Union (EU) enlargement process. Bulgaria remains one of the key drivers of these processes, and we have always supported all Balkan countries, especially our neighbours, on their European path. We continue to stress that their progress and evaluation should be based on their own merits,” Radev said.

He called on Sulyok and the Hungarian side, which maintains friendly relations with the Republic of North Macedonia, to assist the country. “They should genuinely convince our brothers that the recognition and inclusion of Bulgarians in the Constitution, adherence to the European consensus, and the absence of pressure or discrimination against Bulgarians in North Macedonia are non-negotiable conditions for the start of EU accession negotiations,” Radev added.

Bulgarian President also noted that Hungary is among the leading foreign investors in Bulgaria, and bilateral trade has shown steady growth.

According to Radev, both countries share the position within the EU that connectivity, whether energy, transport, digital, or scientific, is a crucial condition for economic development. Bulgaria and Hungary are actively working to deepen such connectivity, with energy cooperation being particularly illustrative. Through efforts to diversify gas supplies and build new interconnectors with neighbouring countries, Bulgaria has become an important hub for energy security, Radev said. “We also share the view that nuclear energy, on which both countries continue to collaborate, remains a reliable and sustainable source of power that will influence the EU’s development in the medium term,” he added.

An important aspect of bilateral relations is the Bulgarian community in Hungary, particularly its organizations, the Association of Bulgarians in Hungary and the Bulgarian Republican Self-Government in Hungary. “I thank President Sulyok for including the leaders of these organizations, who are also our compatriots, in his delegation. They are a living bridge between our peoples for centuries. Just days ago, in Hungary, the Bulgarian gardening tradition was added to the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage,” Radev said.

On Sunday, Sulyok visited Bulgaria's southern town of Smolyan to mark Bulgarian-Hungarian Friendship Day and the centenary of Hungarian poet and translator Laszlo Nagy. The two presidents visited the Laszlo Nagy House-Museum and later attended an exhibition and a music-and-poetry performance at the Nikolay Haytov Rhodope Drama Theatre.