President of Malta, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, received President of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, at The Palace in Valletta at the beginning of President Plevneliev’s State Visit to Malta.

Following an exchange of gifts and decorations, both Presidents held bilateral talks together with their respective delegations.

The topics covered during the meeting circled around Malta’s main priorities on the agenda of its EU Presidency in January 2017; the single digital market, the energy market, social inclusion and the current situation in the Mediterranean. 

President Coleiro Preca said that Malta and Bulgaria enjoy excellent diplomatic and political relations, as well as great people-to-people contact, with tourism between the two countries being the perfect example, coupled with the fact that in Malta there is a Bulgarian community of around 6,000 people.

She said that despite the excellent relations, both Presidents discussed further potential between both countries, adding that ‘there is much scope for looking into how both countries can develop further bilateral trade’. During the meetings both Presidents also mentioned English language learning, where there are also possibilities for young Bulgarians to come to Malta to learn English.

Finally, she thanked the Bulgarian President for the constructive meeting of the Arraiolos Group, held in Bulgaria last September. The Arraiolos Group is made up of non-executive heads of states, and it meets every year.