Cyprus is a close partner and ally of Bulgaria, parliament speaker Mihaela Dotsova said in Rome after talks with Anita Demetriou, speaker of Cyprus's House of Representatives, the parliament's press office reported.

The two met at the European Conference of Speakers of Parliament of the Council of Europe member states. The forum in the Italian capital runs on 15 and 16 October.

Dotsova said Sofia sees Cyprus as an ally both in the EU and in the region. The trust built so far is a solid base for closer ties, which serve the interests of both countries and the region, she said.

Bulgaria will work for a closer partnership between the two parliaments, including between their friendship groups, and will seek a more active political dialogue on all European issues, Dotsova said.

She praised the cooperation with Cyprus and its work during the Cyprus presidency of the EU. In a difficult international climate, the presidency helped the Union stay united and make progress on strategic files on which its long-term stability depends, the speaker said.

Demetriou replied that the two countries are good allies and friends.

Four people opened the forum: Lorenzo Fontana, speaker of Italy's Chamber of Deputies, Ignazio La Russa, president of the Italian Senate, and Petra Bayr, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Italian foreign minister Antonio Tajani also opened it.

There are three topics: "Resilient democracies: united against hybrid threats", "Artificial intelligence and the labour market" and "Renewing the rules-based international order: the role of parliaments in dealing with and responding to modern crises". Dotsova will speak on the last one.