Vietnamese Party chief lands in Bulgaria to bolster ties

Party General Secretary To Lam, his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation arrived in Sofia on October 22 (local time), beginning a three-day official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of its President Rumen Radev.

A welcome ceremony at the airport (Photo: VNA)
A welcome ceremony at the airport (Photo: VNA)

Sofia (VNA) – Following a successful official visit to Finland, Party General Secretary To Lam, his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly, and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation arrived in Sofia on October 22 (local time), beginning a three-day official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of its President Rumen Radev.

Joining the delegation are key Vietnamese officials, including Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, and Chairman of the its Inspection Commission Nguyen Duy Ngoc; Politburo member and Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang, Politburo member and Minister of Public Security Gen. Luong Tam Quang, and Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung, among others.

At Sofia international airport, Chairman of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria Atanas Zafirov greeted General Secretary Lam and his spouse, presenting them with a bouquet of fresh flowers in a gesture of welcome.

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Party General Secretary To Lam and his spouse at the airport (Photo: VNA)

Bulgaria, one of the first nations to establish diplomatic relations with Vietnam in 1950, has maintained a close friendship nurtured by generations of leaders and people of the two countries. This visit, the first by a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam since Bulgaria transitioned to a new political system in 1990, coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

The visit carries a message of sincere friendship and gratitude from the Vietnamese Party, State, and people toward Bulgaria, a long-standing partner and traditional friend that offered invaluable support during Vietnam’s struggle for national independence and continues to back its ongoing development. It also offers Vietnam a chance to unlock new avenues of cooperation with Bulgaria and other Balkan nations./.

VNA

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