Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

Deputy Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Parvan Rusinov and the Ambassador of Cuba in Bulgaria Mrs. Teresita Capone validated a postal philatelic edition consisting of two post stamps for the 50^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and Cuba.

On the stamps are displayed symbols of culture and history of the two capitals: Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia and San Cristobal in Havana. The stamps are printed in 15,000 copies and are drawn by the Bulgarian artist Tsvetan Iliev. The nominal value is 0.65 BGN and 1.40 BGN.

The Cuban edition of the two stamps was validated today in Havana by the first Deputy Minister of Informatics and Communications of Cuba, Ramon Linares Torres and the Bulgarian Ambassador Chavdar Nikolov.

The origins of the joint philatelic tradition started in 1984 in Havana when a joint exhibition of Bulgarian and Cuban postage stamps took place and in 1985 the exhibition was presented in Veliko Tarnovo. This was said during the ceremony by the Deputy Minister Rusinov. During the 80's and early 90's of the 20^th century Bulgarian postage stamps were printed in Havana.

The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of Economy and Energy Mari Kossev, foreign diplomats, members of the Club of Friendship with Cuba, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.