This is the first official visit by the Speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria to Vietnam in nearly 12 years, reciprocating the official Bulgaria visit by Vietnamese National Assembly leader Vuong Dinh Hue last September. The visit of the Speaker of Bulgarian National Assembly is an important highlight in Vietnam–Bulgaria relations, especially as the two countries’ National Assemblies have just signed and implemented a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation.
Although Vietnam and Bulgaria are located on two different continents, they have a close relationship. More than 70 years ago, the leaders of the two countries laid the “first bricks” in building a bridge of friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and Bulgaria. On February 8, 1950, Bulgaria became one of the first countries in the world to recognise and establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam.
President Ho Chi Minh's official friendly visit to Bulgaria in August 1957 further marked an important milestone in the history of the two countries' relationship. During the arduous and heroic years of the Vietnamese people's struggle for national liberation, Bulgaria was a close friend, standing side by side and providing Vietnam with valuable supports. Many Vietnamese scientists and experts have been trained by Bulgarian friends in a range of fields such as construction, architecture, information technology, biochemistry, agriculture, and machinery manufacturing.
In Vietnam's foreign policy, the Central-Eastern Europe region plays a very important role, serving as the gateway for Vietnam to strengthen cooperation with the European Union (EU). Vietnam prioritises enhancing friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with the countries in the region, of which Bulgaria is one of the top priority partners. Mutual respect and trust have become an important foundation for the strong development of relations between Vietnam and Bulgaria in the fields of politics, diplomacy, culture, science, education, security, and defence.
The two countries have maintained regular exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level delegations and between ministries, agencies, and localities, while implementing specific steps to strengthen their bilateral cooperation. The two countries' parliaments have exchanged many high-ranking delegations and have also maintained contact while coordinating with and supporting each other at multilateral parliamentary forums. On the occasion of the official visit to Bulgaria by National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue in September 2023, the two countries' top legislators signed an MoU on cooperation between the two National Assemblies, replacing the MoU signed by the two sides in 2012.
The economic and trade cooperation has become an important pillar in bilateral relations. The two sides are making efforts to implement agreements and measures to promote their cooperation within the framework of the Vietnam-Bulgaria Intergovernmental Committee on economic cooperation to remove obstacles and create breakthroughs in investment and trade. In addition, the EU–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU–Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) have been also opening new cooperation opportunities for the business communities and people of the two countries.
The Vietnamese community in Bulgaria currently has more than 1,000 people. They always uphold their solidarity, look towards their homeland, have relatively stable lives, create good relationships with the host administrations, and obey the local laws. This community has contributed to further strengthening the mutual understanding and attachment between the two peoples.
In the context that the world is witnessing rapid, profound, and complex changes, cooperation and development are still the main flow. Vietnam and Bulgaria have always been promoting close coordination at multilateral forums and making proactive and responsible contributions to peace and stability.
Bulgaria supported Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), candidacy for non-permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council (2008–2009 and 2020–2021 tenures), the UN’s Economic and Social Council (2016–2018 tenure), the UN Human Rights Council (2014–2016 and 2023–2025 tenures).
The official visit to Vietnam by Speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria Rosen Dimitrov Jeliazkov contributes to strengthening political trust and showing both sides' respect for the long-standing friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Bulgaria, as well as affirming parliamentary channel cooperation as an important pillar in the relationship.
May the official visit by the Speaker of the National Assembly of Bulgaria to Vietnam be a great success, contributing to further boosting the relations between the two countries in all fields in a deeper, more practical and more effective manner, towards a new stage in the Vietnam-Bulgaria relationship.
