16.09.2026
At a Czech-Bulgarian business forum involving over 170 Bulgarian and 50 Czech companies, Prime Minister Rumen Radev and the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš, discussed the joint development of technology, defense, and artificial intelligence during Babiš's official visit to Bulgaria. The two leaders held a "one-on-one" meeting at the Council of Ministers, followed by plenary discussions between the two delegations.
"Our ambition in organizing this forum is to think beyond trade—to think about joint projects, joint technological development, joint research, and joint production, so that we can enter third-party markets together," emphasized Rumen Radev. He added that Bulgarian and Czech companies have opportunities to implement joint projects in the defense industry, specifically mentioning the production of drones and anti-drone systems.
One of the key topics of the talks was energy. To explore this direction more deeply, it was agreed to establish a joint working group to analyze Czech expertise, particularly regarding small modular reactors. Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that Bulgaria is ready to support the Czech Republic and Central and Eastern European countries in their pursuit of supply stability and the diversification of energy resources. He cited the country's access to the five Turkish and two Greek liquefied natural gas terminals as an advantage, adding: "This is only the beginning; we are already discussing the prospect of green energy corridors that are set to pass through our country—from both North Africa and the Caucasus region."
In the context of European policy, the Bulgarian Prime Minister shared Andrej Babiš's vision regarding energy security and the need for regulatory changes. "With Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, we share the conviction that energy is the foundation of our economic development and that there must be a revision of the European emissions trading system. The ETS2 system needs to be revised because, first and foremost, we must guarantee the industrial security and industrial independence of Europe," Radev emphasized.
Regarding the European agenda, Radev thanked Babiš for inviting Bulgaria to participate in the political discussions within the Visegrád Group's "V4+" format. According to him, Central European countries protect European values through this group and strive for true sovereignty in areas such as science, defense, and industry. On the topic of EU enlargement, he stated that the process must be stable, irreversible, and based on real merits and the Copenhagen criteria, rather than geopolitical circumstances.
Regarding the war in Ukraine, the Bulgarian Prime Minister expressed concern for economies and social systems, stating: "Regarding the war in Ukraine, we prioritize the well-being and security of our citizens over the continuous pouring of money and weapons into this war. At our summits in the European Union and NATO formats, the word 'peace' should be heard more often, and we should more frequently discuss what we must do and how to do it so that we finally achieve peace, because it is unacceptable for a war of attrition that affects the economies and social systems of our countries to be waged in the heart of Europe."
In response to a question about the situation in the Middle East, Rumen Radev warned of the negative impact on economies due to the spike in energy prices. He noted that Bulgaria is working actively with its neighbors and the European Commission to increase the capacity for land-based energy resource transport from the Persian Gulf to Europe, as the risk in the Strait of Hormuz threatens maritime supplies. The Prime Minister noted that although fuel prices in Bulgaria are among the lowest in Europe, the standard of living here is also among the lowest. Therefore, the government is already preparing support measures for citizens most vulnerable to price increases, including support for school transport, public transport, and emergency medical services.
The development of new energy technologies and European regulations will affect energy stability and prices across the entire region, including the Burgas region.
The Bulgarian Prime Minister also expressed gratitude to his Czech colleague for meeting the deadlines for the delivery of 20 modern trains to Bulgaria, which allowed the country to fulfill its commitment under the Recovery and Resilience Plan on time. For his part, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš confirmed the excellent bilateral relations and emphasized the importance of today's business forum for expanding economic contacts and deepening cooperation, especially in the energy sector.