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Moscow, Sofia discuss business cooperation

Moscow and Sofia seek to actively develop business cooperation

SOFIA, October 2. /TASS/. Moscow and Sofia seek to actively develop business cooperation, confirmed the forum Business Cooperation of Moscow and Bulgaria in Sofia on Tuesday.

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"Bulgaria is among Russia's promising partners in the trade and economic sector. Despite a difficult economic situation in Europe and across the globe, relations between our countries are developing positively, we see mutual interest of Russian and Bulgarian enterprises to expanding economic relations further," Russian Ambassador to Bulgaria Anatoly Makarov said in a report.

The diplomat said last year trade stood at $3.4 billion, growing 25.3% year-on-year, while the amount of direct Russian investment in the Bulgarian economy made up $3.4 billion, according to the Russian Central Bank.

Tourism is also a lucrative sector to develop cooperation and it must be advanced more actively, Makarov said, noting that cultural and heritage tourism should be advertised. With this in view, he drew attention to monuments to common history of the two countries that must be preserved in good shape.

Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva said "Russia is one of Bulgaria’s main tourism partners". "Our country is among a small number of nations seeing a stable interest from Russian tourists as a place for a tranquil and safe holiday, including family holidays and organized holidays for the children," she said.

"Close religion, languages and art have made Bulgaria an attractive destination for holidays and trips among Russia’s middle class," she said, stressing that 66% of Russian nationals see Bulgaria as an attractive destination. Last year, about 550,000 Russian nationals visited Bulgaria and more than 440,000 people visited it in the first eight months of this year.

Moscow Government Minister Sergei Cheremin, who leads the official Moscow delegation to the Culture Festival in Bulgaria, presented investment potentials of the Russian capital city, saying Moscow was ready to share experience with Bulgarian partners.

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