The Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas welcomed on Saturday Madagascar's President Marc Ravalomanana for the engagement of his son and a Bulgarian girl from the costal city.

The ceremony took place at the modest apartment of Gergana Georgieva's parents, Saturday afternoon. Right after the groom officially ask for her hand, as Bulgarian tradition requires, the guests will fly back to Geneva.

The delegation that accompany Madagascar's President includes his three children and wife, the country's foreign minister, the head of the Protocol.

The plane, which flies the high-ranked guest to Burgas, landed at the capital Sofia first, where a meeting with Bulgarian President Parvanov was scheduled.

The President's son and the Bulgarian girl met while studying in Germany.

Gergana is 27-year-old, a graduate of the German Language School in Burgas. Her mother is a librarian at the local hospital, her father is Zhelyazko Georgiev, a well-known prosecutor.

Gergana has already visited the home of her loved one in Madagascar, the world's fourth biggest island after Greenland, New Guinea and Borneo.

Madagascar's President Marc Ravalomanana began his working life selling home-made yogurt off the back of a bicycle. His dairy and oil products business is now the largest non-foreign-owned company on the island and he enjoys millionaire status.

Ravalomanana claimed outright victory in presidential elections in December 2001. Shortly after the US and France recognised Ravalomanana as the legitimate leader, his rival, veteran leader Didier Ratsiraka flew to France and his forces on the island switched sides.

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