Russian-Bulgarian Trade and Economic Relations to Reach a New Level

Trade and economic relations between Russia and Bulgaria are entering a qualitatively new level, believe the Moscow diplomatic sources.

According the sources' assessment this conclusion is based on the development of cooperation between Moscow and Sofia "in many specific fields". In particular, the point at issue is Russia's participation in the modernisation of Kozlodui atomic power plant, Russia's possible participation in building a new, Belene, atomic power station, and the two countries' participation in the construction of Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline.

The issue of Russian companies' participation in the privatisation of enterprises of fuel and energy complex and creation of a mixed Russian-Bulgarian bank is now being studied.

The military-technical cooperation, an agreement on which was signed on September 5, 2002, is an important element of trade and economic relations between the two countries, the diplomatic sources believe. "Russia has already won tender on the modernization of 20 Bulgarian MiG-29 fighters," they reported. There exists a possibility of Russia's participation in the modernization of the Bulgarian helicopter pool.

RIA Novosti's sources pointed out that by now all the questions concerning "the Soviet debt" of Russia to Bulgaria amounting to approximately $100 million have been solved.