site.btaBulgaria and Kazakhstan Elevate Strategic Partnership around Trans-Caspian Transport and Energy Corridor

President Rumen Radev’s official visit to Astana on Monday marked a new stage in the relations between Bulgaria and Kazakhstan, with both heads of State presenting their countries as key links between Europe and Central Asia.

During plenary talks at the Akorda Palace, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev described Bulgaria as a key and valued partner in Europe and promised that Kazakhstan would work to further strengthen cooperation and ties between the two countries in various areas. He outlined plans for joint projects in energy, the green transition, agriculture, healthcare and tourism, and proposed the creation of a Kazakhstan–Bulgaria Business Council as “a next step to develop our business ties”.

Radev replied that Kazakhstan is “a key strategic partner in Central Asia” and urged both sides to exploit their geostrategic positions “for connectivity between Asia and Europe”. He listed transport, energy, digital links, artificial intelligence and space among the fields with “immense” potential and insisted that global challenges must be met “through policies and approaches grounded in the principles of international law and the norms of the UN Charter”.

The two leaders signed a series of memorandums, including one for the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route. Tokayev told journalists that “around 60 Bulgarian companies are currently successfully operating” in Kazakhstan and promised “favourable conditions” for newcomers, while pointing to the pending inauguration of a “Sofia” street in Astana as further proof of the blossoming friendship.

In an interview with the Kazinform News Agency, Radev described the Trans-Caspian corridor as a multimodal link whose cargo volume rose by 65% to 4.5 million tons in 2024. He argued that Bulgaria’s Black Sea ports at Varna and Burgas, already connected with Georgia’s Poti, offer “huge potential” for expanding traffic and spoke of turning the route into an energy and digital artery. He also mentioned green-power projects, dairy-sector cooperation and Bulgaria’s planned adoption of the euro on January 1, 2026, stressing the need for public support to prevent price speculation.

Addressing the Kazakhstan–Bulgaria Business Forum organized by Kazakh Invest, Radev said Bulgaria was “fully committed” to the Trans-Caspian project and underlined that the modernized ports in Varna and Burgas were “fully ready for operation”. He praised Kazakhstan’s impressive economic growth and urged companies from both countries to seize opportunities in high technology, energy and connectivity.

Both presidents agreed to explore the inclusion of Burgas and Varna in the corridor and to set up a joint working group on transport and logistics. Tokayev expressed confidence that the visit would provide “a new impetus for cooperation” and called Bulgaria “a reliable partner” whose partnership Kazakhstan “attaches great importance” to deepening. The statements and accords signed in Astana mark an energetic effort by Sofia and Astana to build a comprehensive bridge between Central Asia and Southeast Europe.