Bulgaria President Georgi Parvanov has reacted to a statement by the rightist Blue Coalition asking him to skip his October visit to Australia due to the financial crisis.

Parvanov said that he will will make a state visit to the Republic of Korea from 25 to 27 October this year and from 28 to 31 October in Australia. He added “These visits are planned out in advance in the foreign policy activities of the state chapter in 2009. A visit to New Zealand has never until now been mentioned or planned.” The Blue Coalition had earlier suggested that he was also going to New Zealand.

The President’s statement went on; From 28 to 31 October the President will conduct the first State visit to Australia at the invitation of Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce. In Sydney Parvanov will attend the Bulgaria Forum, organized jointly with the European-Australian Business Council. President Parvanov will meet with representatives of the Bulgarian community in Australia, numbering over 12 000.

In reaction to the Blue Coalition’s request for Parvanov to cut his expenditure the statement read “in his [the President’s] administration he imposed additional restrictions which led the overall reduction of the budget to reach 31,76%." It added that the costs for international visits, especially the planned state visits years ago, are within the approved budget of the National Assembly.

Earlier Thursday the Blue Coalition MP Asen Agov said that; "our research shows that the transport costs of the presidential delegation will be about BGN 500 000”. He went on to criticize the President’s general expenses for foreign trips.

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