During the Sixth World Conference of Parliament Speakers, jointly organized by the Interparliamentary Union, UN, and the Swiss Parliament, a momentous meeting took place between representatives of Bulgaria and France. The key figures were the Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament Natalia Kiselova and the Vice-President of the French Senate Loic Herve.
The two political leaders emphasized the exceptionally strong bilateral relations, characterized by deep mutual understanding and strategic partnership. Kiselova specifically highlighted the historical milestones in diplomatic relations between the two countries, pointing out the 145th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations and the 30th anniversary of Bulgaria joining the International Organization of La Francophonie.
Among the key discussion topics were multilateral cooperation within European and Euro-Atlantic structures such as the EU and NATO. Natalia Kiselova expressed categorical confidence that parliamentary dialogue represents an extremely effective mechanism for coordinating positions and deepening relations between the two countries.
Special attention was paid to French support for Bulgaria in two extremely important international contexts. First, the consistent diplomatic support for Bulgaria's full membership in the Schengen Area. Second, France's key role in developing the compromise negotiation framework for the Republic of North Macedonia in 2022.
Another significant emphasis in the discussion was the joint participation in the Nuclear Alliance, initiated by France at the beginning of 2023. Kiselova underscored the strategic importance of nuclear energy for national, regional, and European energy security, while simultaneously highlighting its role in ensuring accessible and predictable energy prices.
For his part, Senator Loic Herve expressed satisfaction with the long-standing bilateral relations and the potential for future cooperation. He mentioned the successful visit of a large French business delegation to Bulgaria in October 2023, led by MEDEF 35, as an opportunity for further economic rapprochement.
The meeting demonstrated not only the diplomatic maturity of the two countries but also their potential for deepening partnership in various strategic areas – from parliamentary dialogue to economic cooperation.