site.btaForeign Minister Georgiev Confers with Canadian Counterpart Anand

Within the framework of the NATO ministerial here on Wednesday, Bulgaria's Foreign Minister initiated a bilateral session of talks with his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand, Georgiev's Ministry said in a press release. 

The two conferred as part of joint efforts to invigorate the high-level political dialogue with Canada, discussing key aspects of bilateral relations and specific steps to advance and strengthen them further.

Georgiev emphasized that Canada is Bulgaria's priority international partner and a trusted ally in NATO. The two chief diplomats reaffirmed their countries' steady desire to upgrade their mutually advantageous partnership, based on shared democratic values, similar stands on key regional and global issues, and a common vision of strengthening the international legal order.

The interlocutors stressed the need of maintaining regular political dialogue, including by the exchange of high-level visits, and noted that the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2026 offers an excellent opportunity to deepen Bulgarian-Canadian partnership.

In the area of security and defence, the sides reaffirmed their strong commitment to strengthening NATO's eastern flank and building security in the Black Sea region.

The chief Bulgarian diplomat thanked Canada for sharing in the Mine Countermeasures Black Sea (MCM Black Sea) Task Group and stressed the significance of the new joint efforts within the framework of Operation Eastern Sentry.

Opportunities for broadening bilateral cooperation in the defence industry were also on the agenda.

Economic and trade cooperation figured prominently in the conversation. Georgiev pointed to the significant growth of two-way trade in recent years, propped up by the provisional application of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

The two ministers also discussed opportunities for a boost of investments in areas of key importance for Bulgaria, such as energy, high technologies, innovations and infrastructure. Georgiev presented his country's priorities in energy security, including sources diversification, green transition investments, and development of the nuclear power industry. He highlighted the potential for closer cooperation with Canada in the area of clean technologies, renewable energy sources, and nuclear safety.

In conclusion, the two chief diplomats reaffirmed their commitment to deepening and upgrading the partnership between Bulgaria and Canada and expressed their readiness to pursue specific initiatives in the interest of security, economic development, and the well-being of their countries' citizens.