“Comprehensive development, the status of a reliable and important partner, important and strategic projects for the world play an important role in expanding Azerbaijan’s international capabilities. The states establishing relations with our country have always spoken with satisfaction about these relations. Therefore, the number of states that prefer cooperation with Azerbaijan and consider it their strategic partner is growing. In recent years, there has been a high dynamism in relations between the Balkan countries, especially Bulgaria and Azerbaijan. As we know, our relations with this country are developing rapidly, based on mutual respect and trust, covering political, economic, energy, cultural and other areas.”
Chairman of Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation (ATUC), MP Sattar Mohbaliyev said in his statement to mass media.
The chairman of the ATUC specifically recalled the objective position of official Sofia during the Karabakh conflict, which lasted for many years: “this country consistently showed a fair approach and proceeded from the principle of resolving the conflict within the framework of its territorial integrity. This, of course, was a great support for the Just Cause of Azerbaijan for that period. Also, after the liberation of East Zangezur and Karabakh, a delegation led by the chairman of the Bulgarian Anti-Discrimination Commission Ana Cumaliyeva visited the city of Agdam and saw with their own eyes the acts of vandalism committed there.
In general, a great impetus to the friendship of the two countries is the visits organized at the level of heads of state. The meetings held within the framework of the visits and the sincere dialogue laid the groundwork for reaching the present level of our relations. In particular, with the official visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Bulgaria in March 2015 and the Joint Declaration on strategic partnership signed, cooperation has entered a new stage. The visit of the president of the friendly country Rumen Radev to Azerbaijan in 2017 played an important role in the development of our relations.”
“Of course, the energy sector is the core of the partnership between our countries. Azerbaijan currently plays a major role in Bulgaria’s energy security. In 2023, 1 billion 250 million cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas was transported to this country. This year it is predicted to amount to 1.5 billion cubic meters. Of course, this is also a high indicator. We believe that the results of the current visit of the president of Bulgaria Mr. Rumen Radev to our country will also be successful and will further expand bilateral cooperation in new areas. Strengthening strategic partnerships, signing documents related to technological innovation and other areas give grounds for this conclusion,” the MP said.
The chairman of ATUC noted that during the speeches of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Bulgaria with statements to the press, the head of State Mr. Ilham Aliyev spoke about the field of green energy: ”President Rumen Radev also touched upon the prospects of Azerbaijan’s green energy projects. It is proud that in the near future Azerbaijan will also be recognized as a supplier of green energy and prove once again what an important country it is for the world. Of course, all these are the results of Effective Energy Policy and successful initiative of President Ilham Aliyev.”