ReliefWeb

Cyprus will allot to the country a grant amounting to USD 20 000 for recovery from the damages caused by the floods, expressing its solidarity with the affected Bulgarian citizens. This was announced during the two-day political talks accompanying the signing of the new three-year Cooperation Programme between Bulgaria and Cyprus in the field of science, education and culture. The document has already been signed and establishes cooperation between universities, participation in cultural events and forums, cooperation in film industry, sport, etc.

During the consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries, Cyprus pledged its support for the Bulgarian membership in the EU from January 2007 and acquainted the Bulgarian delegation with the latest development of the solution to the Cyprus Problem. The participants in the talks exchanged their opinion on the situation in the Western Balkans, the negotiations between the EU and the candidate countries, the Union's internal processes, the strengthening of bilateral relations, as well as other issues of shared interest.

Bulgaria extended an official invitation on behalf of Minister of Labour and Social Policy Emilia Maslarova to her Cyprian counterpart Christos Taliadoros for the signing of the Social Security Agreement in Sofia on 8 and 9 May 2006. The delegation extended also the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin to Foreign Minister of Cyprus Iacovou for participation in the Trans-Atlantic dinner of NATO and EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs on 27 April 2006, organised within the meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Sofia. The invitation was accepted and the Cyprian Minister's participation was confirmed.

The political consultations and the signed documents are evidence for the good relations existing between Bulgaria and Cyprus in all fields and thanks to them Cyprus was among the first countries to ratify the Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria to the EU.