Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivan Mrkic paid today an official visit to the Republic of Bulgaria.

Minister Mrkic had a number of meetings at the highest state level. In Sofia, the Minister met with the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski, National Assembly President Mikhail Mikov, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kristian Vigenin.

Bulgarian officials congratulated Serbia on opening EU accession negotiations, and offered to assist Serbia in the process of accession negotiations, with experts' experience and advice.

Minister Mrkic emphasized the importance of Bulgaria's support to Serbia on its path towards the European Union, stressing the fact that diplomatic relations between the two countries had been established 135 years ago, and that the two peoples share many similarities and common interests.

Concrete agreements reached during the talks include that a joint session of the Governments of the two countries be held in March and that strenuous efforts be continued towards the harmonization of the Memorandum on good neighbourly cooperation.

Among the topics discussed were also other bilateral issues, such as those concerning the border area, national minorities, as well as construction of the "South Stream" gas pipeline and the motorway.