On the second day of his official visit to Bulgaria on Tuesday, President Joseph Aoun continued his diplomatic engagements aimed at deepening Beirut’s’s ties with Sofia.
Aoun met with the Speaker of the Bulgarian Parliament, Raya Nazaryan, who expressed readiness to collaborate with Lebanese authorities on legal inquiries related to the ship Rhosus, which carried the ammonium nitrate cargo that caused the devastating Beirut port explosion in 2020.
Nazaryan affirmed that Lebanese judicial authorities could take part virtually in the ongoing Bulgarian investigation to uncover the full truth.
Nazaryan praised Aoun’s visit as a significant step toward strengthening parliamentary and popular relations between the two nations, extending an invitation to Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri to visit Sofia and calling for the reactivation of the Bulgarian-Lebanese parliamentary friendship committee.
Aoun, for his part, thanked the Bulgarian Parliament for its transparency and cooperation, emphasizing Lebanon’s commitment to justice and to fostering stronger international partnerships despite domestic and regional challenges.
Earlier, Aoun held talks with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rossen Jeliazkov, attended by Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi and Ambassador Rihab Abu Zein. Discussions centered on revitalizing previous agreements and expanding collaboration in defense, education, culture, and technology. Aoun also proposed resuming direct flights between Beirut and Sofia and invited a Bulgarian delegation to visit Lebanon to explore practical avenues for cooperation.
The talks also touched on regional developments, with Aoun underscoring that Lebanon’s stability is integral to European security and the prevention of potential social and security disruptions. He briefed the Bulgarian side on Lebanon’s ongoing economic reforms and efforts to recover from the financial crisis, while also highlighting Israel’s continued violations of U.N. Resolution 1701.
Prime Minister Jeliazkov expressed Bulgaria’s desire to deepen bilateral relations, proposing the establishment of a joint economic committee and specialized working groups on transportation, education, culture, modern technology, and artificial intelligence. He said such initiatives would celebrate six decades of diplomatic relations with “a joint push toward a stronger partnership.”
President Aoun’s visit, held at the invitation of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Lebanon and Bulgaria.
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