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President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Mr President, Mrs Parvanova, Dear friends,

Today the Year of Bulgaria opens in Russia. Bulgaria is a country with which Russia shares truly deep ties based on a common history of friendship and cultural and spiritual closeness.

Whether we look back in history to the creation of the Cyrillic alphabet, the events of the Russian-Turkish War in 1877–1878, the period after the Civil War in Russia, when Bulgaria became one of the centres of Russian emigration, or the decades of intense economic, scientific and cultural cooperation in the second half of the twentieth century, we see in all these cases how closely intertwined are the destinies of individuals and countries, and what special warmth distinguishes the relations between our peoples.

Many streets and squares in Bulgaria still bear the names of famous Russians today, and the hundreds of monuments built to commemorate our common victories are cared for and honoured. All of this has an enduring moral importance without any doubt.

The Year of Russia in Bulgaria took place in 2008. It was a memorable and successful event. Our intergovernmental ties became more active over this time and we expanded inter-regional cooperation between our countries, cooperation between twin cities, business circles and public organisations. Hundreds of thousands of people got the chance to learn more about each other’s traditions and life today.

The Year of Bulgaria in Russia will continue this endeavour. We are looking forward to the opening of the Bulgarian Cultural Festival, the Bulgarian National Exhibition, and many other events that will take place in various cities throughout our country.

Our cooperation has been developing at a rapid pace over these last years, and our bilateral trade is showing confident growth. It has increased almost four-fold over the last six years and become more diversified. President Parvanov and I talked today about this and said that the energy sector should not account for all of our trade growth, but that we need to optimise our trade structure in general. We have indeed launched some important big joint energy sector projects. I am referring of course to the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline, the Southern Stream gas pipeline, and the construction of the Belene Nuclear Power Plant. These projects are important not just for Russia and Bulgaria, but for Europe as a whole, all the more so at this time of global crisis when it is especially important to concentrate on these kinds of big projects that bring mutual economic benefits.

Dear friends, we are here today at the Bolshoi Theatre, renowned as a centre of Russian culture, and really, a centre of world culture too. Outstanding Bulgarian opera singers have also worked here in their time. There are numerous examples of this kind of creative cooperation between us in a huge range of different fields. This cooperation is based on the great cultures of our two peoples, and it will certainly continue with success over these future months.

But this is only natural for our relations, our special relations with Bulgaria. In this respect, I would like to quote the words of the outstanding Russian philosopher and humanist Dmitry Sergeyevich Likhachev, who said: “I love Bulgaria, the Bulgaria of old, today’s Bulgaria, and the Bulgaria of the future.” I think that everyone here would agree with these words.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Bulgarian people peace, happiness and prosperity, and to congratulate everyone on the opening of the Year of Bulgaria in the Russian Federation.

Thank you.

President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov (translated from Russian): Mr President of the Russian Federation, Mrs Medvedeva, Citizens of the Russian Federation, Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today we are opening the Year of Bulgaria in Russia, an event that follows straight on from the successful Year of the Russian Federation in Bulgaria in 2008.

Our people, and visitors to our country, received a great impression from the events that gave them the chance to meet with representatives of Russian culture and science, the arts and the economy, who gave a most brilliant demonstration of modern Russia’s achievements.

Mr President, I recall another of Academician Likhachev’s thoughts on Bulgaria. He said that Bulgaria is the land of spirituality. I think that the Year of the Russian Federation in Bulgaria and the Year of Bulgaria in the Russian Federation show once more that our countries are indeed fortresses of spirituality. I am sure, ladies and gentlemen, that the Year of Bulgaria in Russia will interest Russians and be a success, helping to give the relations between our countries the new impetus that we all desire.

What does the Year of Bulgaria in Russia actually mean? It offers a diverse cultural programme, contacts between business community members, a catalyst for talks on all different issues, and most importantly, the chance to give Russians a real picture of Bulgaria. The programme includes a broad range of events, events of varied content that will take place not just in Moscow but in many cities and towns around Russia.

Ladies and gentlemen, the distance of time cannot erase from the Bulgarian people’s historic memory the feats of the Russian soldiers who fought for Bulgaria’s freedom. But in this year we are also looking to give our relations new dimensions too.

This year we are celebrating the 130th anniversary of our first constitution, the Tarnovska Constitution. This is an occasion for us to remember that Russia not only liberated Bulgaria, but that the Russian emperor encouraged the adoption in Bulgaria of what was one of the most modern European constitutions of its time. In other words, the Russian authorities gave their endorsement back then to Bulgaria’s European future.

We are deeply grateful to Russia, which was going through a difficult period itself at that time, but supported the creation and development of Bulgarian statehood of a new European kind. I am pleased that now, after the years when ideology and extremes dominated our relations, our ties are once again showing vigorous growth.

We are actively developing our political dialogue. Our economic cooperation is also on the increase, although, as President Medvedev said, we do need to diversify our trade. Our cooperation in the energy sector is a key condition for giving our relations the new quality we seek.

Ladies and gentlemen, there are problems too of course, old problems that we have inherited from the past and that follow us from one year to another, and new problems that come up along the way.

It would be naive to imagine that we can solve all our problems all in one go. Negotiations are a difficult process because each country has its national interests to defend. What is important is that we have mutual confidence and political will, for this is the best guarantee that we will be able to settle all of our problems one step at a time, as we have been doing during today’s visit.

The recent gas crisis showed us just how vulnerable and easily damaged our relations are in this interdependent world. I am pleased that our talks today took place in a spirit of understanding at the highest level, and that we have succeeded in settling most of the issues discussed. We therefore have good reason to celebrate today together with our friends and the performers. Today’s event is convincing proof of the irreversible positive trend in our relations.

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to thank in advance all of the esteemed organisers, our hosts from the Bolshoi Theatre, and the performers, who have prepared for today’s concert with great professionalism and enthusiasm.

I wish the Year of Bulgaria in the Russian Federation success, and I wish the friendly Russian people success and prosperity.

Thank you for your attention.