Bulgarian PM and Ukrainian Deputy PM Forge Agreements on Sunflower Seed Trade at Davos

Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov engaged in vital discussions with Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on January 16, focusing on the strategic coordination of sunflower seed import and transit. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, resulted in the reaffirmation of a licensing regime established in the autumn of 2023. This regime continues to be respected, aligning with the interests of both Bulgarian grain and sunflower oil producers.

In addition to addressing the trade dynamics, Prime Minister Denkov participated in an innovation panel during the forum. He stressed the imperative for Europe to accelerate innovation development, underscoring that Europe had lagged behind regions such as the US. Denkov remarked, "Europe was a leading scientific power in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, but then the US and Asia realized faster than we did that we should not pit basic against applied science."

Moreover, Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel, who was also present at the forum, shared insights on the advantages of EU enlargement. Gabriel emphasized that citizens of aspiring member countries should not feel like second-class citizens and pointed to Bulgaria's success in meeting cooperation and verification mechanisms over the past decade.

"We should learn from the previous wave of enlargement. I give the example of Bulgaria. We had a cooperation and verification mechanism for more than 10 years which was closed a year ago. The rule of law and democracy are important. Also, Bulgaria and Romania are not in Schengen? Why? All technical criteria have been met since 11 years ago," said Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel, who also serves as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

This comprehensive exchange of ideas and agreements between Bulgaria and Ukraine highlights the nations' commitment to fostering mutually beneficial trade relationships.

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