PM Borissov: With the overcoming of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourist flow between Bulgaria and Turkey will resume

"Due to the global health crisis over the past year, there has been a significant decline in the flow of tourists between Bulgaria and Turkey. I am convinced that the trend will be reversed after the danger of Covid-19 has passed," Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on January 25 during his meeting with Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Ersoy.

The Prime Minister noted that the holding of the First Session of the Bulgarian-Turkish Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation, which was postponed due to the pandemic, is of great importance.

Bilateral economic relations and common projects of mutual interest will contribute to strengthening the ties between Bulgaria and Turkey as a whole, Borissov said. In this context, the actions of the Bulgarian state are aimed at stimulating the development of tourism and contacts between the business circles of the two countries.

During the conversation with Minister Ersoy, Prime Minister Borissov stressed that Turkey is Bulgaria's immediate neighbour, NATO ally and key EU partner in areas such as migration, counter-terrorism, energy, agriculture and animal husbandry, trade, economy and others.

"Bulgaria and Turkey have traditionally had good relations, and we have always strived to find a solution to the issues in the spirit of good neighbourliness and mutual respect," Borissov noted.

He noted that Bulgaria understands the serious migration burden and risks facing Turkey, which accepted over 3.7 million migrants and refugees on its territory, especially in view of
the general situation caused by COVID-19.

The Prime Minister added that Bulgaria supports the dialogue with Ankara and has always insisted that the EU keep the channels of communication with Turkey open.