Speaker ot Bulgaria's National Assembly: Azerbaijan is our key partner in the energy sector

Azerbaijan is a key partner of Bulgaria in the energy sector, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Nataliya Kiselova said during a meeting with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev.

A Bulgarian parliamentary delegation, led by Kiselova, is participating in the 65th General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), taking place in Baku.

Kiselova expressed satisfaction with the opportunity to speak with the President of Azerbaijan and praised the bilateral political dialogue at all levels. This dialogue allows for the discussion of current bilateral issues as well as the exchange of views on pressing regional and global matters, she added.

According to her, the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of Azerbaijan, signed in 2015, reflects the shared interest and the desire of both countries to strengthen their bilateral relations which continue to expand. The 2024 Declaration on Strengthening the Partnership broadens its scope in priority areas such as energy and connectivity and provides momentum for progress in other sectors where development has been less pronounced, Kiselova added.

The Speaker of the National Assembly noted that Azerbaijan is a crucial energy partner for Bulgaria and has made a significant contribution to the diversification of natural gas supplies for the Bulgarian economy and, more broadly, for Europe. Azerbaijan is also a strategic energy partner of the EU. In this context, cooperation in the energy sector is of key importance not only for bilateral relations but also for the region's and Europe’s efforts to enhance energy security by achieving energy diversification—especially in the drastically changed geopolitical environment, Kiselova emphasized.