Erdoğan, Radev discuss Türkiye-Bulgaria ties, co-op in Istanbul

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev discussed bilateral relations and emphasized the importance of cooperation on regional issues in Istanbul on Friday.The leaders held one-on-one talks at Vahdettin Mansion, which was followed by a joint news conference.

Erdoğan and Radev discussed various aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries and steps to enhance bilateral cooperation.Current regional and global developments were also on the agenda."We touched upon the importance of effective cooperation to manage irregular migration," Erdoğan said, adding that they reviewed relations as two neighboring countries and NATO allies."We are undergoing a period with big challenges for the Balkans and the globe, so we believe that our solidarity should be stronger than ever before as two NATO allies," the president said, adding that they both reiterated their determination to strengthen relations in this regard.For his part, Radev said joint work is necessary amid ongoing challenges."Our countries have a joint responsibility," he said, as he emphasized the importance of cooperation in the energy sector.

Türkiye is among Bulgaria's top five trade partners, representing an 8% share in the overall foreign trade of the country.Tensions rose between the two countries when Bulgaria accused Türkiye recently of intervening in its internal affairs. The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the country's envoy to Ankara in November and denied the claims that Bulgarian voters were directed by Turkish authorities during the Nov. 14 presidential and parliamentary polls in Bulgaria.One of the main elements in bilateral ties is the Turkish population in Bulgaria.According to the Foreign Ministry, the population of the Turkish minority in Bulgaria stands at 588,318, representing 8.8% of the total population. /BGNES