The Vietnamese Embassy in Bulgaria hosted a ceremony in Sofia on September 10 to mark the 80th anniversary of Viet Nam’s National Day (September 2) and the 75th anniversary of Viet Nam - Bulgaria diplomatic ties.
In her speech, Vietnamese Ambassador Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet reviewed Viet Nam’s 80-year evolution from its fight for independence to its current status as a vibrant, globally integrated economy. She highlighted Viet Nam’s rapid and stable economic growth, its aspiration to become the world’s 20th largest economy, and its 17 free trade agreements with key partners, including the European Union.
Nguyet expressed gratitude to international partners, including Bulgaria, for their support and cooperation over the past eight decades.
According to the diplomat, Viet Nam–Bulgaria ties have been growing, driven by collaboration in trade, education, culture and people-to-people exchanges. Recent years have seen active exchange of delegations and effective meetings of the Inter-Governmental Committee, opening up new prospects for cooperation. She voiced Viet Nam’s desire to elevate bilateral ties to a higher, more practical level.
Bulgarian Minister of Labour and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov recalled his visit to Viet Nam with National Assembly Speaker Rosen Zhelyazkov in January 2024, saying that few nations share the kind of special bond seen between Viet Nam and Bulgaria. He also expressed his readiness to further cement the bilateral ties.
Nguyet, Bulgarian officials and representatives of the Vietnamese community cut a cake to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic ties. Guests were treated to traditional Vietnamese music by artist Minh Trang, folk dances performed by Vietnamese and Bulgarian youths, and Vietnamese cuisine.
Earlier on August 30, the Vietnamese Embassy and the Vietnamese Association in Bulgaria co-hosted a sports exchange and National Day celebration.
On the occasion, the ambassador presented certificates of merit to the Vietnamese, business, women and youth associations, and honoured 11 Vietnamese students with excellent performance in the 2024–2025 school year.
