NAMRB delegation visited the Bulgarian Embassy in Warsaw

Poland as a priority market for Bulgaria in the upcoming tourist season, potential opportunities for cooperation between the Polish and Bulgarian local authorities, as well as the highlights of the handling of the refugee wave were the main topics of the meeting between the Bulgarian local authority’s representatives and the Republic of Bulgaria Ambassador in Warsaw, Mrs. Margarita Ganeva and her team - Nikolay Kostov, Advisor "Tourist Affairs”, Yordan Draganchev, Second Secretary, Head of Bulgarian Commercial and Economic Section, Kalina Stancheva, Director of the Bulgarian Cultural Institute.

The working meeting took place during the visit of the representatives of the Bulgarian municipalities in the 7th Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Mikolajki, Poland on April 11-12, 2022.

The Bulgarian delegation consists of representatives Tanya Hristova, Mayor of Gabrovo Municipality, Dimitar Zdravkov, Mayor of Sadovo Municipality, Iliyan Yanchev, Mayor of Malko Tarnovo Municipality, Vesna Baltina - Deputy Mayor of Burgas Municipality, Petar Georgiev, Deputy Mayor of Sadovo Municipality, Bilyana Stamenova, Secretary of the Municipality of Berkovitsa, Deyan Yotov, Director of the Directorate in the Municipality of Malko Tarnovo, Boyka Popova-Hristova, Public Relations Expert in the Municipality of Berkovitsa, Stoyan Gaitanikov, Ecologist in the Municipality of Sadovo, Hristo Tonchev, Expert in the Municipality of Sadovo and from the NAMRB team.

"It is very important to send positive signals about the state of the tourist resource in Bulgaria. Poland is the third largest market, which, if we target correctly, will ensure the successful tourist season. Me and the entire team of the Embassy are ready to support the Bulgarian municipalities in any possible ways for the process, "said Mrs. Ganeva. The question was raised about the efficiency of the tourist zoning and to what extent it meets the needs of the municipalities. The members of the delegation shared specific practices for attracting tourists from the Polish market.

The ambassador also focused on specific facts regarding the admission of Ukrainian residents to the territory of the Polish capital. Currently, 300,000 people are housed in social services and homecare centers, as well as in the homes of Polish citizens.

In the discussion that followed, the representatives of the municipalities had the opportunity to talk to their colleagues on the Polish side – Artur Borkowski, Mayor of Serotsk Municipality and representatives of the municipal leadership of Legionovo Province. The Municipality of Serotsk is due to sign a memorandum of cooperation with the municipality of Dryanovo on May 14 in Bulgaria and then a delegation from Dryanovo to visit Poland on May 21 as part of the holiday of the city of Serotsk.

Also, delegation had the opportunity to view the exhibition of photographs "Bulgaria through the eyes of the Poles", located on the territory of the Embassy and presenting beautiful photographs of Bulgarian landmarks taken by Polish tourists in our country.

During the visit, an official ceremony was held for the award of the memorable medal "Paisii Hilendarski", awarded by the State Agency of Bulgarians Abroad to the activist for the Bulgarian-Polish relations and a representative of the famous Bulgarian winery Mr. Alexander Gajanov.

Bulgarian delegation took part, as well to the sessions of the 7th Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, with speeches by members on main topics related to attracting and implementing green investments in the regions, and activities under the Fit for 55 plan, which envisages reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the European Union by more than 50% by 2030.