The income from visas issued to Russian tourists visiting Bulgaria will be reinvested in the country's tourism business.

The news was announced Monday by Milen Keremedchiev, Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister, after a meeting with the Chair of the State Tourist Agency, Aneliya Krushkova, and representatives of tourist agencies working on the Russian market.

It is still unclear how this is going to happen, and how the companies and organizations that will receive the profit will be chosen. According to Krushkova, this is a way to help the tourist business in Bulgaria during the financial crisis. Bulgaria's PM, Sergei Stanishev, also supports the idea.

In addition, Bulgaria is going to issue free visas to individuals under the age of 18 whose visit's purpose is education. Keremedchiev explained that this will be a part of the agreement between the European Union and the Russian Federation for facilitating the visa procedures for citizens of both sides.

Each year, Bulgarian authorities issue around 4,000 visas for Russians under the age of 18. The visas for children under 6 are free while those for children and teenagers from 6 to 18 years of age cost EUR 35.

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