site.btaUPDATED Bulgarian PM Petkov Confers with Turkish President Erdogan at 2022 Antalya Diplomacy Forum

Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov Saturday conferred with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Antalya, Turkey, where the two leaders participate in the 2nd Diplomacy Forum, the Bulgarian Government Information Service said.

"We had a very constructive session with President Erdogan. We talked about strengthening economic cooperation and noted that investments and two-way trade can be increased," Petkov said after the meeting.

In his words, this meeting "ushers in a new beginning of relations between Turkey and Bulgaria".

Energy diversification was on the agenda of the talks, with an emphasis on gas transmission via Turkey. Petkov said he expects better connections between Bulgartransgaz and its Turkish partners.

Petkov singled out transport connectivity between Bulgaria and Turkey and more specifically the rail link between Plovdiv and Istanbul. In his words, the link between Bourgas and Istanbul is also significant, especially for the high tourism season.

Petkov and Erdogan noted the good work of the two transport ministers for, and the progress made in, easing cross-border passage. They expressed the two countries' determination to uproot corruption at the crossing of their common border. The Bulgarian PM was adamant that eliminating corruption targeting Bulgarian and Turkish truckers is prioritized.

The Turkish head of State commended the Bulgarian Government for its will to fight corruption and reform the judicial system. The two agreed that these policies will attract more investors.

Petkov commended Erdogan for his leadership role in the diplomatic talks between Ukraine and Russia.

Earlier in the day, the Bulgarian head of government participated in a Diplomacy Forum panel on Representing Change. Addressing the panel, he said that one can make a change in society and politics if they are independent.

At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, state and government leaders, top diplomats from across the world, along with business executives, academics and the non-governmental sector, find a platform to exchange ideas and address international challenges.