Minister Velislava Petrova Opens the Annual Conference of Bulgaria’s Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representatives
20 July 2026 News
Minister of Foreign Affairs Velislava Petrova is hosting the Annual Conference of the Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representatives of the Republic of Bulgaria, which is taking place in Sofia on 20 and 21 July. The event is an established forum for discussing the priorities of Bulgarian diplomacy.
Addresses at the official opening were delivered by President Iliana Iotova and Prime Minister Rumen Radev.
In her address, Minister Petrova stated that the Government would work in the clear understanding that the European Union and NATO provide the most favourable framework for safeguarding Bulgaria’s national interests. She added that Bulgaria could not accept a world divided into spheres of influence, in which borders are redrawn by force.
According to her, Bulgaria’s partners have already recognised in the new Bulgarian Government an interlocutor with a long-term governing horizon, with whom they can develop lasting cooperation after years of continual changes of government. “They know that Bulgaria has the capacity and the ability to contribute to security in South-Eastern Europe, to energy and transport connectivity, to the protection of the EU’s external borders, and to Europe’s collective efforts to build its strategic autonomy and assume its rightful role on the global stage as a power working to achieve peace,” Velislava Petrova emphasised.
Minister Petrova identified securing greater investment and creating more opportunities for Bulgarian businesses in the global market as a key priority. She also highlighted deeper integration into global value chains and the use of the Bulgarian economy’s competitive advantages in innovative sectors. Particular emphasis was also placed on strengthening cultural diplomacy as one of the most powerful instruments for enhancing Bulgaria’s international image.
In conclusion, Minister Petrova stressed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ most valuable asset was its people. “At a time of severe shortages, it would be unreasonable to expect problems that have accumulated over many years to be resolved within weeks. Nevertheless, the Government has heard and shares the concerns of diplomatic staff,” she further noted. According to her, the commitment to addressing these problems gradually through the forthcoming full-year regular budgets remains in place.
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