Valentin Tserovski In Moscow April 19-23

During his working visit to Moscow, Regional Development and Public Works Minister Valentin Tserovski met today with Georgy Poltavchenko, Official Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District. The highlights in the meeting included the opportunities for, and specific steps towards, expanding regional cooperation and strengthening the role of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works and the presidential administration in the Russian Federation in this area. Poltavchenko told Tserovski that the 18 oblasts in the Central Federal District have already identified the persons in charge of regional cooperation with Bulgaria, and also that specific programmes for regional cooperation with Bulgaria have been prepared. These programmes will be presented to the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works the soonest possible with a view to taking specific measures. This will put the beginning of a new type of cooperation at a lower government level. Valentin Tserovski underscored the existing opportunities for bilateral contacts and interaction in the area of investments, construction, joint design and engineering. The Russian side stressed its wish to work in this direction and hailed the suggestions made by the Bulgarian Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. On his side, Tserovski noted that the new stage in bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Russia is based on the principles of confidence, pragmatism, equality and shared interest. During the meeting with Mr. Poltavchenko, the Russian sides reconfirmed its political will to implement the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis project after it has already been declared by President Vladimir Putin at his talks with President Georgi Purvanov and Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in Sofia. Tomorrow Tserovski will be received by the Deputy Minister of Energy Vladimir Stanev, who is in charge of coordinating pipeline transportation. Today Tserovski also conferred with Semyon Vainshtok, President of the Board of Directors of Transneft, which is the world’s biggest oil transportation company, and with LUKOil President Vagit Alekperov. The two sides considered the opportunities for participation of the two companies in the Bourgas-Alexandroupolis project. Public Relations and International Activity Directorate