Sofia, October 26, 2025 – The Europe Today: General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, has urged Bulgaria to streamline visa procedures for Vietnamese citizens in order to foster tourism, cultural exchange, and closer people-to-people connections. The request was made during his official visit to Sofia, where he met with President Rumen Radev as part of celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
In his remarks, To Lam highlighted Vietnam’s new visa-free policy for Bulgarian citizens, allowing stays of up to 45 days for tourism purposes, effective from August 15, 2025. He emphasized the importance of reciprocity and called for similar facilitation from Bulgaria to enhance mutual travel and deepen bilateral engagement.
The Vietnamese leader also expressed appreciation for Bulgaria’s long-standing support for the Vietnamese community, which currently consists of around 1,200 residents, and called for continued assistance in promoting their successful integration.
During the high-level discussions, both leaders reflected on the strong historical ties between the two countries and identified new areas for strategic cooperation. A joint declaration was signed, officially raising Vietnam-Bulgaria relations to the level of a strategic partnership.
The upgraded partnership will focus on:
- Enhancing political trust and dialogue
- Strengthening defence and security collaboration
- Promoting education and academic exchange
- Expanding economic, trade, and investment cooperation as a central pillar
Both parties also reiterated their commitment to increasing free trade and set a shared goal of doubling bilateral trade in the near future.
President Radev welcomed To Lam with an official ceremony at St. Alexander Nevsky Square, underscoring the “deep-rooted friendship and mutual respect” between the two nations. He also paid tribute to more than 30,000 Vietnamese who studied or worked in Bulgaria in past decades, referring to them as a “lasting bridge of friendship.”
Highlighting future opportunities, President Radev pointed to potential defence cooperation, including training Vietnamese cadets at Bulgaria’s Georgi Benkovski Air Force Academy in Dolna Mitropolia.
As part of the visit, a business forum was launched in Sofia to explore new trade and investment prospects, demonstrating both countries’ shared ambition to deepen economic ties.
To Lam described Bulgaria as “the poetic land of roses” and said enhanced visa facilitation would encourage more Vietnamese tourists and entrepreneurs to visit, further strengthening cultural and economic linkages.
The visit forms part of To Lam’s broader European tour aimed at reinforcing Vietnam’s partnerships across the continent.
