site.btaPrime Minister Zhelyazkov Discusses Faith, Current Agenda with Pope Leo XIV

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov told the media on Friday about his audience with Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican. “We spoke on all important topics, from those related to faith to topics related to the current agenda,” he said.

Zhelyazkov specified that he spoke with Pope Leo XIV about the European agenda, the war in Ukraine, the role of the Vatican as a mediator for negotiations, about all dimensions of this tragedy in Europe, humanitarian, political and geopolitical. “We even talked about artificial intelligence and its dimensions, about how human virtues should not be replaced by the virtual environment,” said the Prime Minister. He added that they also spoke about issues on the agenda of the church community in Bulgaria.

Zhelyazkov noted that a strengthening of the diplomatic role of the Vatican has been visible since the beginning of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV. "We hope that the Russian side will also accept this mediation, because the Vatican is a neutral, but at the same time humanitarian and humanely engaged territory, and can serve as a real bridge for finding a temporary and permanent solution, but everything is a matter of good will and good desire," he added.

The Prime Minister said that the Pope is a committed preacher who will increasingly take on the role of a diplomat.

“It is an extraordinary honor for our delegation that this is the first official delegation to visit Pope Leo XIV,” the Prime Minister also commented.