site.btaVarna Mayor Confers with Egyptian, Saudi Envoys

The Mayor of the seaside city of Varna Ivan Portnih conferred with the ambassadors of Egypt and Saudi Arabia in Bulgaria, 
Khalid Ibrahim Emara and Khalid bin Kamal Fakih, Portnih's office said in a press release. The meeting was attended by former tourism minister Nikolina Angelkova on whose initiative it was held.

Portnih familiarized the ambassadors with the priorities of Varna, noting that Varna develops as as a city of knowledge. The Mayor said tourism is a key priority which the city hall aims to develop year-round, given the multitude of mineral springs which can be developed as spa destinations. Another advantage is that the Varna Airport offers flights to more than 30 destinations across the world, he said. 

Ambassador Khalid bin Kamal Fakih said he recently had a meeting with the Economy Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which discussed the development of the bilateral cooperation with Bulgaria in the area of hotel management and infrastructure. 

Ambassador Khalid Ibrahim Emara voiced satisfaction that many students from Egypt study in Varna. The diplomat said that the bilateral relations could be developed further in the area of education, green energy, smart cities and tourism. He said that companies from Egypt in the sector of furniture-making, pharmaceuticals, and farm produce which are looking for ways to access the EU market could show interest in the Varna Economic Zone. 

Angelkova reminded that Bulgaria has already signed cooperation memoranda with both Egypt and Saudi Arabia which provide a good basis for investment promotion. In Angelkova's words, an excellent opportunity to build on this cooperation can be holding an international forum with the participation of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well as organizing joint cultural events and opening air services between Varna and Riyadh and Cairo.