Huge scope for Pakistani investors in Bulgaria; special facilities for Pak students
By Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
ISLAMABAD, MARCH 05 (DNA) Mr. Roumen Pirontchev Ambassador of Bulgaria has said his country offered huge business opportunities to Pakistani investors adding being a key European Union country, Bulgaria had a lot to offer to Pakistan. He made these remarks while giving an interview to Diplomatic News Agency (DNA) and Centreliney. Roumen Pirontchev further said Bulgaria has always been present in Pakistan. The diplomatic relations between two countries were established in 1965 and the Bulgarian Embassy was opened in 1968. Here is full text of interview.
ROUMEN PIRONTCHEV
Huge scope for Pak
Investors in Bulgaria
Ambassador of Bulgaria talks to Centreline and DNA
Mr. Roumen Pirontchev, Ambassador of Bulgaria to Pakistan talked to Centreline and Diplomatic News Agency (DNA). In his detailed interview the ambassador touched upon various aspects of Pakistan, Bulgaria relations besides giving an elaborated account of what makes these relations so special. Mr. Pirontchev, inter alia, also gave a historical background of his country with a special focus on Bulgaria’s relations with the European Union. Here are excerpts from his interview.
By Ansar Mahmood Bhatti
1. First of all if you could tell us something about your country, especiallydevelopments taking place after accession to European Union?
Bulgaria is a mid-size country in the Balkan region of Southern Europe. The country is located at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and the CIS, which provides a lot of strategic, political and economic opportunities. It borders the Black sea to the East, Greece and Turkey to the South, Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the West and Romania to the North along the Danube river.
The country lies on an area of 110, 911 sq. km. and has a population of 7 576 751. Bulgaria has a very old and rich history. The Bulgarian state was found in 681. On the Balkans, Danubian Bulgaria, led by Khan Asparuh (680-700), united the ancient Bulgarians with the Thracians and the Slavonic tribes of the so-called Bulgarian group. During the rule of Khan Tervel (700-721), Bulgaria expanded territorially and became a great political power.
In 718, after a victory over the Arabs by the wall of Constantinople, the European territories were saved from the terrible invasion from the east. Under the rule of Khan Kroum (803 – 814 ), Bulgaria bordered the empire of Karl the Great to the west, and to the east the Bulgarian armies reached the walls of the capital of Byzantium – Constantinopol. In 864, during the rule of King Boris I Mihail (852-889), the Bulgarians adopted Christianity as their official religion.
That deleted the ethnic-cultural differences between Bulgarians, Thracians and Slavs and the construction of a unified Bulgarian nation began. At the end of the 9 th century, the brothers Cyril (Constantine the Philosopher ) and Methodius, created and disseminated the Bulgarian Cyrillic alphabet. Their disciples, Kliment and Naum, found favourable conditions for work in Bulgaria. From Bulgaria, the script spread in other countries.
Today, it is used in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia. Montenegro, Serbia, Tajikistan, Macedonia. With the accession of Bulgaria to the European Union Cyrillic became the third official script of the EU, following the Latin and Greek scripts. In 1946 Bulgaria was declared a republic. The date of 10 November 1989 marked the beginning of the democratic changes in Bulgaria.
A new constitution was adopted (1991), the political parties were reestablished and the market economy was reinstated. On January 1, 2007, Bulgaria acceded to the European Union. Its membership in the EU contributes to its political stability, economic development and favourable investment climate. I would say that the EU membership of Bulgaria has benefited both sides and we are ready to play further our constructive political role in EU. Today Bulgaria is being accessed to the large European family of nations with its model of ethnic tolerance based on the traditional Bulgarian democratic values and historical experience. Bulgaria is an important factor for the stability in the Balkans, despite its difficult and complex social and economic transition. With this function Bulgaria continues performing its mission as a mediator between nations and cultures.
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