Minister Velislava Petrova Spoke with the Ambassador of Italy Marcello Apicella
26 May 2026 News
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Velislava Petrova, received today at the MFA building the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Italian Republic to Bulgaria, Marcello Apicella.
The two noted the excellent dynamics of the political dialogue between Bulgaria and Italy at the highest level, as well as the fruitful cooperation between the two countries both bilaterally and within the European Union and NATO.
Minister Petrova described the hosting of the start and the first three stages of one of the most prestigious sports competitions in the world - Giro d’Italia 2026 - as a landmark event for Bulgaria.
In her words, holding the race in our country is further proof of the strong ties between the two countries in all spheres of public life. Our top diplomat also emphasized the importance of transport and energy connectivity as leading priorities for Bulgaria.
In this context, Minister Petrova highlighted the strategic role of the European Corridor VIII and expressed expectations for closer cooperation with the Italian side on the project's implementation.
It was also noted that its realization will contribute to the development of European and regional infrastructure connectivity, as well as to strengthening the geostrategic autonomy of the European Union.
Among the topics discussed during the conversation were also cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, and defense, as well as revitalizing exchanges in culture, education, and high technologies.
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