Bulgaria and the United States to sign landmark documents in the fields of energy, IT security and military affairs

The Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and the Deputy Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment of the US State Department Keith Krach welcomed the increasingly dynamic political dialogue between Bulgaria and the United States as a result of the strategic partnership.

Borissov and Krach held a meeting during the visit of the US Deputy Secretary of State to Bulgaria. This is the third conversation between the two politicians this year and this is another expression of the intensified cooperation between Bulgaria and the United States after the visit of Prime Minister Boyko Borissov in Washington in November 2019.

The meeting focused on priority issues of the strategic partnership, such as deepening trade and economic cooperation and strengthening bilateral relations in the field of security of fifth generation (5G) wireless communications networks.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister and the US Deputy Secretary of State united around the position that 5G will become the infrastructure for connectivity, which will be of key importance for all sectors of society such as e-health, smart energy networks, transport and mobility. 5G networks are the future backbone of our increasingly digitalized economies and societies, it was emphasized during the meeting. That is why the European Union and NATO are partnering in the field of 5G to ensure the reliability of the infrastructure and supply chain.

Another focus of the conversation was the partnership in security and defense, which are among the key dimensions of bilateral relations. "The acquisition of F-16 Block 70 fighters is an important step forward in the modernization of the Bulgarian Air Force," said Prime Minister Borissov. He was adamant that the projects for modernization of the Air Force will provide conditions for industrial cooperation, which will contribute to the long-term economic development of Bulgaria and the competitiveness of our country.

"The United States is an important strategic partner of Bulgaria in the field of energy," said Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. In this context, in June 2020, the US proposed the signing of a bilateral Memorandum on Strategic Cooperation in the Field of Nuclear Energy for Civil Purposes. "Promoting this partnership is another key element in the transition to a low-carbon economy," said Boyko Borissov.

During the meeting, a high assessment was given to the development of landmark documents in priority areas for Bulgaria and the United States, which were signed.