Parliament Speaker Nataliya Kiselova met with US Ambassador to Bulgaria Kenneth Merten

On January 13, 2025, the Speaker of Bulgaria's Parliament, Nataliya Kiselova, held discussions with the U.S. Ambassador to Bulgaria, Kenneth Merten. She extended her condolences, on behalf of herself and the members of the 51st National Assembly, to the families of the U.S. citizens who lost their lives during the devastating fires in Los Angeles.

"We are closely monitoring the news about the natural disaster in the state of California and sincerely sympathize with the hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens affected by this unprecedented catastrophe," Nataliya Kiselova remarked.

She stressed that despite the loss of life, the swift and adequate actions of firefighters and rescue teams prevented an even greater tragedy.

"Please convey our heartfelt human solidarity and support to the American people during these difficult days for the United States," the Speaker of the Parliament added.

Nataliya Kiselova expressed her gratitude to the director and staff of the Getty Villa Museum for taking all necessary measures to protect the exhibits from the "Ancient Thrace and the Classical World: Treasures from Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece" exhibition from the fires in Los Angeles.

The Speaker of the Parliament noted that her meeting with the U.S. Ambassador in Sofia is a natural continuation of the active political dialogue between Bulgaria and the United States at a high and highest level.

"I am pleased that we can discuss the priority issues of our bilateral cooperation and I hope that our strategic partnership will continue," Nataliya Kiselova added.

Bulgaria places particular emphasis on developing its cooperation with the U.S. in the areas of security and defense, energy security and diversification, bilateral trade and investment, innovation and green energy, countering hybrid threats and disinformation, as well as fostering people-to-people contacts, she said.