Bulgaria has the ambition to become a supercomputer center in Eastern Europe and can be a partner of Armenia in high-speed connectivity projects. This was stated by the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Rossen Jeliazkov at a meeting with his Armenian counterpart, Hakob Arshakyan. The conversation is part of the program of the eighth meeting of the Bulgarian-Armenian intergovernmental commission for economic and scientific-technical cooperation in Yerevan, which is headed by Minister Jeliazkov.
"As an external border of the European Union, it is important for Bulgaria to maintain good neighborly relations, especially within the framework of the Eastern Partnership initiative. Therefore, the topic of connectivity is very relevant not only in transport, but also in communications, "said the Bulgarian transport minister. According to him, our country can assist Armenia in participating as an associated country in the European Union's Horizon 2020 program. Rossen Jeliazkov informs that they are preparing a new Horizon Europe framework program, which provides 100 billion euros for projects in information technologies and communications.
The two Ministers stressed the need to establish a partnership between national cyber-security centers.
"During the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we launched an initiative for better connectivity in the Western Balkans and bilateral agreements were signed to encourage mobile operators to reduce wholesale prices for international roaming. It is a working model that can be used with the Eastern Partnership organization as well as on a bilateral basis, "Minister Jeliazkov said during the meeting.
Minister Jeliazkov stressed the need to intensify cooperation in all spheres between Bulgaria and Armenia. He recalled that an invitation was invited to the Armenian side for a round table on the transport connectivity of the Organization for Black Sea Economic Cooperation to be held in middle of May in Varna.
Among the projects discussed are the multimodal Corridors Black Sea-Persian Gulf. The 4th meeting on these issues is to be held in the Iranian capital Tehran.
Later today, Minister Jeliazkov opened a Bulgarian-Armenian business forum in Yerevan. "We have to create the necessary environment to encourage and secure investment because our countries are historically connected and our relationship is more than wonderful. The incentives that both Bulgarian and Armenian legislation provide to foreign investors are extremely favorable. What we owe is a good legal environment and a reduction in bureaucratic obstacles, "he said.
During the intergovernmental session today and tomorrow, questions will be raised on the increase of the quota for permits for commercial vehicles. A meeting of the Joint Committee on International Road Transport will be discussed to discuss next year's quotas.
In the field of labor and social policy, a Bulgarian side will wish to conclude the negotiations on the Procedures for the Implementation of the Labor Migration Regulation between the two countries by April 2019. Our delegation will propose to start consultations on the development of a bilateral social security treaty.
