Meeting in Washington: Bulgaria and the US Discuss Visa Waiver Program

During an important visit to Washington, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Angelieva held a key meeting with a high-ranking representative of the US administration. The meeting with Simon Bland, Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the US Department of Homeland Security, aimed to solidify the strategic partnership between the two countries and to discuss key issues of mutual interest.

The talks took place at the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington, where the delegations had the opportunity to thoroughly examine current topics in bilateral relations. The main highlights of the meeting included Bulgaria's progress on the path to inclusion in the US Visa Waiver Program. This is a key issue for Bulgaria, which will facilitate the travel of Bulgarian citizens to the United States.

The American side highly praised the joint work of the teams from both countries regarding the implementation of the criteria for joining this program. The US assessment reflects the active cooperation and efforts of the Bulgarian authorities to achieve the necessary standards.

Deputy Minister Angelieva stressed the importance of good and open dialogue with American partners, which is the basis for effective cooperation between the two countries. She confirmed Bulgaria's strong commitment to successfully complete the process and join the countries benefiting from visa-free travel with the United States.

The visit of Deputy Minister Maria Angelieva to Washington is part of a wider program of events. She is in Washington on the occasion of the Meeting of Special Envoys and Coordinators to Combat Antisemitism, which is held between November 4 and 6. The meeting is organized jointly by the US Department of State and the World Jewish Congress, which underlines the importance of the fight against antisemitism in the international context.