National Assembly Chair Tsacheva, Croatian Parliament Speaker Leko Discuss Cooperation

A Croatian parliamentary delegation headed by Croatian Parliament Speaker Josip Leko is on a three-day official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of National Assembly Chair Tsetska Tsacheva, Parliament's press service said Monday.  

At his meeting with Tsacheva, the guest said that the cooperation between Bulgarian and Croatian students is the bridge between the two peoples in all spheres. Leko and the National Assembly Chair discussed the high level of Croatian-Bulgarian political relations - a prerequisite for deepening the economic, cultural and educational contacts and for interaction within the EU structures and on the regional level. 

Bulgaria and Croatia are countries with centuries of ties, and today the two peoples are writing their history together within the European structures and organizations, Tsacheva said asquoted in the press release. She underscored that her country sees Croatia as a good example of the Western Balkans' EU integration. 

Leko recalled that this is his second meeting with Tsacheva within two months and that his visit to Bulgaria confirms the bilateral relations of partnership and friendship. In his words, the present level of these relations gives the hope that the two countries can achieve a lot in the EU, particularly given that they have identical goals. 

The Croatian Parliament Speaker noted, however, that the bilateral economic cooperation is not at the same level as the political relations between the two countries. 

Tsacheva sees an opportunity for deepening the economic ties in the energy sector, agriculture and tourism. She underscored Bulgaria's potential in winter sports and the attraction of tourists with joint holiday packages.