Brazil's Dilma Rousseff Awarded Highest Bulgarian Order

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff (l) and her Bulgarian counterpart, Georgi Parvanov, exchanged orders after their official meeting in Sofia. Photo by BGNES

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who is in Sofia as part of her European tour, was bestowed Wednesday with Bulgaria's highest order Stara Planina.

The order was given to her by her Bulgarian counterpart, Georgi Parvanov.

Parvanov and Rousseff met at the presidential building. The national anthems of the two countries were performed before the ceremony.

The order is presented to the Brazilian Head of State for her contribution to the development of bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Brazil. On her part, Rousseff gave Parvanov the Brazilian Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross.

"I am delighted that Rousseff traveled to Bulgaria immediately after her trip to Brussels, because this is a very significant sign about Bulgaria's importance for Brazil's foreign policy. For us, Bulgarians, this is a long-anticipated, emotional, but also working and beneficial visit," Parvanov stated after the ceremony.

This is the first visit ever of a Brazilian head of state to Bulgaria, also marking the 50th year since Bulgaria and Brazil restored their diplomatic relations. Rousseff is in Bulgaria less than a year after she became the first female President of Brazil.

Dilma Rousseff, the daughter of Bulgarian immigrant Petar Rusev (Pedro Rousseff), has been eagerly expected in Bulgaria, all the more so because she has made clear her good feelings towards the home country of her father.

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