MOSCOW, March 14 (Itar-Tass) — The Russian and Bulgarian ministers of culture agreed on Wednesday on holding a festival of Bulgarian intellectual culture in Russia next autumn.
A protocol on that was inked by Russian Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeyev and his Bulgarian counterpart Vezhdi Rashidov. The two ministers expressed mutual interest “in expanding bilateral cooperation in the sphere of culture and art”.
Russian Minister of Culture Avdeyev, in particular noted that Russia is interested in all that concerns Bulgaria. He hailed the way “Bulgarian people have preserved and continue developing the system of art education, the way your museums work, the way you have equipped your museum depositories, as this is a big problem for us now”.
Avdeyev also praised Bulgarian painting, opera and ballet, inviting Bulgarian actors and opera singers to Russia. “On the whole we are in a good mood: Russia has emerged from an economic crisis and is ready for productive work with its Bulgarian friends,” the minister said.
Vezhdi Rashidov, for his part, told reporters that he was to the Bolshoi Theatre on Tuesday, expressing his admiration. He said he had an idea to stage a joint performance at Bolshoi with participation of best Bulgarian and Russian singers.
On Thursday, a new office of the Bulgarian Cultural Centre will open in Moscow on March 15. Besides, leading Bulgarian writers will meet with their young Russian colleagues. As for the festival of Bulgarian intellectual culture, no more than 80 Bulgarian cultural workers will be its participants. The plan of events will be coordinated before July 15. The two ministers have decided that they will ask their foreign ministries to organize free visas for the festival’s participants.