Bulgaria and China Discuss Direct Air Route and a Hub in Burgas

Bulgaria and China Discuss Direct Air Route and Logistics Hub in Burgas

Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Atanas Zafirov, is on an official visit to China, where he discussed the possibility of opening a direct flight route connecting Bulgaria and the Asian country. According to information provided by the BSP press center, this topic was the focus of his meeting with Li Shulei, who holds key positions in the hierarchy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) - a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee (CC) of the CCP, Secretary of the Central Secretariat, and Chairman of the Publicity Department of the CC of the CCP.

The conversations between the two also touched upon the potential inclusion of the city of Burgas as a strategic logistics hub along the cargo route between China and Europe. This would position the Bulgarian port as an important point within the large-scale Chinese initiative "One Belt, One Road", also known as the New Silk Road.

Atanas Zafirov's visit to Beijing was prompted by the military parade held on September 3, which attracted the attention of the international community. The delegation, led by the BSP leader, also included other high-ranking representatives of the party and the government: Deputy Chairman of the BSP and Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Ivan Ivanov, Deputy Chairman of the BSP Kaloyan Pargov, Mayor of Peshtera and member of the Executive Bureau (EB) of the left-wing party Yordan Mladenov, Chairwoman of the Women Socialists' Union within the BSP and Deputy Minister of Regional Development Dora Yankova, as well as member of the EB of the BSP and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Stefan Burdzhev.

Although the topic of aviation and cargo connectivity was central, the Chinese representative Li Shulei, who is responsible for the culture, tourism, and media sectors, also noted his excellent impressions of Bulgaria. He recalled his visit to the country in 2019 and emphasized that Bulgaria has a significant competitive advantage in the Chinese market. According to him, this advantage is expressed both in the field of tourism and through authentic Bulgarian products with proven origin, among which rose oil, yogurt, and wine stand out.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Zafirov's position at the military parade in Beijing provoked a sharp reaction in Bulgaria. The political coalition "We Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria" (PP-DB) issued a declaration demanding Zafirov's resignation as Deputy Prime Minister. The reason for the demand is his presence at an event that brought together state leaders whose actions and policies are subject to serious international criticism. Among them were the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un.

The presence of a Deputy Prime Minister at such an event, in the company of figures who are perceived as a challenge to the international legal order and the principles of democracy, calls into question the country's foreign policy orientation and can be interpreted as a signal for a change in the current Euro-Atlantic line.

In connection with the questions raised, Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov commented on the situation to journalists in Burgas. The Prime Minister stressed that the visit of Zafirov and Minister Ivan Ivanov was a party initiative of the BSP and the cabinet has no relation to it. He specified that the two used paid annual leave for their trip to China.