site.btaUPDATED President Radev Takes Part in Plenary Talks during Uzbekistan Visit

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who is paying an official visit to Uzbekistan at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, said at the start of plenary talks between the two delegations on Tuesday that Bulgaria and Uzbekistan play an important role in the connectivity between Europe and Asia through the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.

"Bulgaria is strongly committed to the development of the corridor as a country on the west coast of the Black Sea with developed ports and the world's second busiest border crossing, between Bulgaria and Turkiye," Radev said.

He commended his host for a "bold vision for the development of the country, the Uzbekistan 2030 Strategy, and for comprehensive political reforms that are already yielding concrete economic results and dimensions."

"Bulgaria and Uzbekistan share long-standing friendly relations, based on mutual trust and respect," the Bulgarian head of State said. "The city where I was born and raised, Haskovo, has been a twin city of Tashkent for years, so we have long-standing traditions of friendship and exceptionally constructive relations," Radev added.

“I am particularly pleased that today we outlined new promising routes for mutually beneficial cooperation, from energy, transport, connectivity to investments, industry and high technologies," the Bulgarian head of State said.

"I am glad that we can work comprehensively, building the connectivity between our two countries. We can thus help our regions, freight transport and, most importantly, as you said, we can produce together and go on third-country markets together. That is why in my business delegation there are companies from the fields of energy, transport, logistics, digital transformation, construction, the pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, mining, where Bulgaria has great traditions and develops top level technologies," Radev said.

The President lauded Uzbekistan's ambition to develop nuclear energy. "Bulgaria has 50 years of experience in the safe and effective utilization of nuclear power. There are many prospects ahead of us, and I am glad that we have the opportunity to continue tomorrow with the business forum of our companies and departments. I am convinced that the joint results will be positive," Radev added.

Later today, the two presidents will sign a joint statement on strengthening bilateral political dialogue and cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, investments, connectivity, culture, and educational exchange. A cooperation programme for the 2026-2027 period between the Foreign Ministries and a memorandum of understanding between the Municipalities of Sofia and Tashkent will be signed during the visit.

The Bulgarian head of State will participate in a high-level panel of the Tashkent International Investment Forum, which will be opened by the President of Uzbekistan. The event, which has been held since 2022, brings together investors from all over the world. During his stay, Radev will also welcome participants in a Bulgarian-Uzbek Business Forum. In Tashkent, Rumen Radev will confer with Tanzila Norbaeva, Chair of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, Uzbekistan's supreme legislative body.