Ambassador Inkiriwang visited Municipalities of Stara Zagora, Veliko Turnovo, Rousse, and Pleven

Wednesday - Thursday, 10-11 December 2008

Within 2 days, Ambassador Inkiriwang visited the Municipalities of Stara Zagora, Veliko Turnovo on 10 December, Rousse and Pleven on 11 December. Ambassador Inkiriwang paid courtesy visits to the mayors of the four big municipalities in Bulgaria with the intentions to enhance Indonesia-Bulgaria cooperation through the cooperation between the Embassy and the Municipalities, which would be later included in the work programme of the Embassies as well as the Municipalities in 2009. During his visits, Ambassador Inkiriwang, accompanied by Mr. Djarot Purwoko Putro, Second Secretary of the Embassy for Political Affairs, met with the Mayor of Stara Zagora, Prof. Svetlin Tanchev; the Mayor of Veliko Turnovo, Dr. Rumen Rashev; the Mayor of Rousse, Mr. Bozhidar Yotov; and the Mayor of Pleven, Mr. Naiden Zelenogorski.

Ambassador Inkiriwang and the Mayors agreed on cooperation programmes which were made to enhance bilateral economic relations through trade, investment, and tourism, while keeping in mind the importance of fostering people-to-people contact through culture. It includes presentation about Indonesia in the universities, regional chambers of commerce and industry, and participation of the Embassy in the cultural festivals in the Municipalities through the performances of Indonesian cultural ensemble, Indonesian film festival, photo exhibition, Indonesian culinary events et cetera or organizing an "Indonesian Day" in the Municipalities with the said activities. Ambassador Inkiriwang also informed the Mayors about Darmasiswa Scholarship Programme 2009 from the Indonesian Department of National Education that would allow Bulgarian students to study Indonesian language and culture in chosen 45 universities across Indonesia. Ambassador Inkiriwang also encouraged the mayors so that representatives from each municipalities and business community could participate in several tour-to-Indonesia programmes of the Embassies in 2009 such as Business Tourism Trip (BTT) and Journalists and Tour Operators Trip. The Mayors of Rousse and Pleven expressed their interest to have sister city cooperation with cities in Indonesia.