18:05,
YEREVAN, MARCH 11, ARMENPRESS. President Rumen Radev reported on Saturday that the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) will open an office in Bulgaria in May 2023, the President's press secretariat said. Radev held a videoconference in Baku with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, after Radev tested positive for COVID-19.
The Bulgarian President was subsequently given two more tests that were negative. Although he feels well and has no symptoms, he cancelled his participation in the 10th Global Forum in Baku.
According to Radev, the SOCAR's office in Bulgaria is a sign of Azerbaijan's serious intentions for further deepening of cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector. The opening of the office was agreed during Aliyev's visit to Sofia in September 2022. The two presidents discussed the progress of the preparation on Saturday.
The Azerbaijani side showed interest in the Solidarity Ring (String) project, which is to unite the capacity of the gas transmission networks of Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary to create real energy diversification. Radev said that he invited his Azerbaijani counterpart to Sofia, where the two can discuss having Azerbaijan join the project, which is fully in line with the European vision of guaranteeing supplies, their security and diversification.
Radev said: "We are already receiving the full quantities of Azeri gas through the interconnector between Greece and Bulgaria on very good terms, but this is only the beginning". He pointed out that political dialogue at the highest political level is an important condition for deepening the cooperation between the two countries in all areas of mutual interest, not only energy.
Earlier Saturday, the Bulgarian head of State met in Baku with local business representatives, which was organized by the Bulgarian – Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.