Prime Minister Borissov met with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko

"Ukrainian citizens of Bulgarian origin will always be a bridge for understanding and cooperation between the two countries." Bulgaria’s Prime Minister, Boyko Borissov, said on 5^th of October during a meeting with the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in Odessa. Later, they will participate in the celebrations on the occasion of the 160th anniversary of the Bolgrad High School "G. S. Rakovski".

During the talks, PM Borissov stressed that the joint celebration of the high school jubilee in Bolgrad is an expression of shared understanding by both sides of the importance of preserving the linguistic and cultural identity of the Bulgarian community in Ukraine.

"We have to use this friendship to live better. The continuation of this policy is the best guarantee that our compatriots will continue to be the bridge of cooperation of the country with Bulgaria and the EU, as well as a factor for realization of its European perspective, "the Bulgarian prime minister stressed.

The Ukrainian president expressed his gratitude for the efforts of the Bulgarian government during the Presidency of the Council of the EU in the context of relations between the European Union and Ukraine, including the country's macro-financial assistance.

Boyko Borissov and Petro Poroshenko highly appreciated the traditional friendly relations between Bulgaria and Ukraine, which are based on strong historical, cultural and linguistic ties. It was pointed out that this is proof that the two sides mutually perceive each other as important and priority partners.

"The pro-European orientation of Ukraine, as well as the shared Euro-Atlantic values, further strengthen these relations and provide a basis for their further strengthening in all areas of mutual interest", Prime Minister Borissov said.

The meeting also discussed the expansion of bilateral trade and economic cooperation. Boyko Borissov and Petro Poroshenko also reported an increase in the number of Ukrainian tourists who visited Bulgaria in recent years - 15% growth in 2017.