4 minute read
Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Armenia Hakob Arshakyan met with a delegation led by Bulgarian Member of Parliament Manoil Manev, who is the vice president of the Bulgaria–Armenia Friendship Group in the Bulgarian legislature.
Armenian MPs and members of the Armenia–Bulgaria Friendship Group Babken Tunyan (head of the group), Alkhas Ghazaryan, and Esther Ayvazyan also participated in the meeting, the parliament's press service reported.
Hakob Arshakyan highly praised the interstate relations between Armenia and Bulgaria, which are based on the warm and fraternal ties between the two friendly peoples. According to him, high-level reciprocal visits have contributed most to the development and deepening of effective bilateral cooperation, and the role of parliamentary diplomacy is of particular importance. Arshakyan also expressed satisfaction with the recent meeting of the intergovernmental commission between the two countries.
The Vice Speaker emphasized that the Bulgarian side was proposed to elevate bilateral relations to the level of strategic partnership.
Noting that the U.S.-brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani peace deal foresees the unblocking of communication routes, Hakob Arshakyan expressed his conviction that new prospects will open up for trade and economic cooperation with Bulgaria within the framework of the TRIPP project. In this context, the Vice Speaker highly praised the positive response of Bulgaria’s partners to the peace process.
In 2026, Yerevan will host the European Political Community Summit, as well as the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17). Arshakyan expressed hope that, within the framework of these events, there will be an opportunity to welcome Bulgaria’s partners in Yerevan.
According to MP Babken Tunyan, Bulgaria, as a friendly country, holds special significance for Armenia. Tunyan also expressed gratitude to the Bulgarian side for its constructive stance on the peace agreement. The head of the friendship group assured that Armenia supports the deepening of cooperation with neighboring countries in the region under conditions of peace.
“Such visits contribute to the development of effective and targeted cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” MP Alkhas Ghazaryan said.
Manoil Manev also emphasized the importance of interaction at the level of friendship groups, which is an effective signal for expanding bilateral ties.
They also discussed prospects for deepening economic relations, cooperation between similar parliamentary committees, and expanding relations in various sectors. The restoration of direct air communication between Sofia and Yerevan was highlighted as important, which will also contribute to tourism connectivity, people-to-people contacts, and business development. The significant role of the Bulgarian-Armenian community in Bulgaria’s public life and in the development of relations between the two states was emphasized.