| |
 | Press Releases | | |
The President of the Republic met with the President of Bulgaria11.06.2003
 The President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr Georgi Parvanov, and Mrs Zorka Parvanova arrived on an official visit to Estonia and, this morning at Kadriorg, met with the President of the Republic of Estonia and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel.
At the official welcoming ceremony in front of the Presidential Palace the national anthems of Bulgaria and Estonia were played, and a guard of honour was lined up. Thereafter, Estonian and Bulgarian high-ranking officials and members of the delegations greeted the Presidents. Subsequent to the welcoming ceremony, a conversation between the Presidents took place, during which gifts and state decorations were exchanged.
The following meeting between the Presidents and official delegations focused on the future of Europe and the Estonian-Bulgarian relationship. The Heads of State observed that Estonia and Bulgaria had similar priorities: both countries had set themselves the goal to make, on their part, a contribution to the development of the European Union and NATO. According to President Rüütel, the mankind did not need big centres of power but shared human values joining different peoples together, and the European Union, in our imagination, was just this kind of community.
Talking about bilateral relations between Estonia and Bulgaria, the Heads of State noted that it was possible, if really desired, to overcome the geographical distance between our countries. The Presidents stated jointly that Estonia and Bulgaria had good preconditions for cooperation on projects in the fields of tourism, new technologies and agriculture. The Heads of State also talked about how to develop our relations concerning legal matters and noted that the basis for that would be laid already today by signing two agreements. President Parvanov said that Bulgaria was greatly interested in learning more about Estonias progress and, thereafter, the Heads of State discussed how Estonia could assist Bulgaria in the process of acceding to the European Union.
After the meeting, the Minister of Internal Affairs of Estonia, Margus Leivo, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Lubomir Ivanov, signed the Agreement Concerning Abolition of the Visa Requirement and the Agreement Concerning Readmission of Persons between the Governments of the Republic of Estonia and the Republic of Bulgaria.
The Bulgarian President later today will meet with Chairwoman of the Riigikogu Ene Ergma, Prime Minister Juhan Parts and Mayor Edgar Savisaar. In addition, President Parvanov will visit our College of Information Technology and Open Air Museum.
Mrs Zorka Parvanova and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel today are going to visit the Kadriorg Art Museum and St. Catherines Guild.
In the evening, the President of the Republic of Estonia and Mrs Ingrid Rüütel will host a dinner in honour of the President of the Republic of Bulgaria and Mrs Zorka Parvanova at the Kadriorg Palace.
The Estonian Head of State and the Bulgarian President tomorrow will visit Pärnu.
Office of the President
Kadriorg, June 11, 2003
|
| |
|
vpk.ee
