Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs and Minister of Immigration and Asylum Jean Asselborn reaffirmed Luxembourg's full support for Bulgaria's integration into the Eurozone, the start of membership negotiations with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and full membership in Schengen.

""I am here because the EU is a very complex mechanism and we have enough problems, if two countries do not have a problem with each other they must clearly show it. In 1997, Luxembourg was presiding and we decided to integrate Bulgaria into the EU. Ten years later it was a fact. Luxembourg will do its best, so that in the coming years Bulgaria can become a member of the Schengen Area. If the EU does not make this step, this would mean discrimination against Bulgaria" said Jean Asselborn.

The bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Luxembourg are traditionally good. The two ministers stressed that more should be done to step up economic cooperation. In 2018, Bulgarian exports to Luxembourg amounted to EUR 11.2 million (20.4% growth compared to 2017) and imports from Luxembourg amounted to EUR 50.3 million.

Among the opportunities for the development of economic relations and investments, Minister Zaharieva pointed out the high-tech sector in Bulgaria. The bilateral economic forum, organized by our embassy in Brussels, which is also accredited for Luxembourg, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, is expected to contribute to the activation of economic cooperation.

Minister Zaharieva commented that although the volume of bilateral trade is not that big, Luxembourg is one of the biggest investors in Bulgaria. According to unofficial data, nearly 5,000 Bulgarians live in Luxembourg. They are well integrated and are employed at senior positions, which favors the development of bilateral relations between the two countries, Minister Zaharieva pointed out, BNR reported.