Kyiv and Sofia Want Visa Procedures Simplified

About twenty years ago, Bulgaria was probably the only country where Ukrainians could go on vacation. Things changed with time, as Ukrainian buying capacity decreased and the once cherished Zlatni Pyassytsi [Golden Sands] resort became less attractive to Ukrainian tourists. This interest weakened even more when Sofia introduced the entry visa system. Last year, the number of Ukrainian vacationers in Bulgaria was cut in half.

Ukraine and Bulgaria can solve this problem, President Kuchma said January 30, at a news conference held jointly with his Bulgarian counterpart Georgy Pyrvanov: “I am sure that we will find a solution, as we did, for example, with Slovakia.” Ukraine is also working on simplifying the Polish visa requirements. Sofia had to institute the visa because of its prospect EU membership. Kuchma expressed his understanding of Bulgaria’s “forced move,” but pointed out that it would be useful to simplify the procedures. Georgy Pyrvanov, on his first visit to Kyiv as Bulgarian President, agreed that the problem could be solved in terms of “limiting visa requirements and activating consular activities.”

Leonid Kuchma informed that he and his Bulgarian colleague had discussed bilateral and international issues. Mr. Pyrvanov assured that Sofia would assist Kyiv on the road to the European future. The Ukrainian President duly thanked President Pyrvanov for being prepared to share Bulgaria’s European integration experience and congratulated Bulgaria with being invited to join NATO.

Bulgarian NATO experience may indeed prove helpful, unlike that of European integration, which was not as smooth (although much better than Ukrainian, of course). Together with Turkey and Romania, Bulgaria was left on the side of the road of EU expansion so far. Yet even this experience may come in handy for Ukraine. Leonid Kuchma stated that both presidents had paid “a great deal of attention” to economic issues. Last year’s Ukrainian-Bulgarian commodity turnover had decreased by almost $300 million, totaling $308.4 million. The presidents agreed that the structure of their economic cooperation should be altered, shifting from “ordinary” trade to mutual investment. They may have also discussed Iraq among the international issues. Bulgaria is one of the countries prepared to provide the United States with technical assistance in the event of war. Sofia recently announced it could accommodate up to ten thousand Iraqi refugees.

January 30, the Bulgarian president also met with the Ukrainian premier and speaker, as did Bulgarian and Ukrainian businessmen. January 31, Georgy Pyrvanov visited Odesa oblast to meet with the ethnic Bulgarian community (sixth largest in Ukraine).