Abdelmalek Sellal, Algeria's Minister of Water Resources, has been welcomed in Sofia by Bulgarian Economy, Energy, and Tourism Minister Traicho Traikov.

Sellal arrived to Bulgaria for the 19th session of the Joint Bulgarian-Algerian Commission for Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, the Economy Ministry announced, adding his talks with the Bulgarian officials focused on Bulgaria's desire to invite Algerian investors and to import natural gas from the North African country.

Bulgaria's Economy Minister Traikov has emphasized in the talks with his Algerian guest that Bulgaria will be able to import natural gas from North Africa as soon as the so called Interconnector Bulgaria-Greece, a pipeline, is completed in 2013.

Algeria's Water Resources Minister has pointed out that his country is following closely Bulgaria's energy policy.

Sellal was later received by Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, who also declared a desire to see a boost in the investment and trade exchange between the two countries.

"I can assure you that we view our contacts we Algeria very seriously. We need to talk in detail about the realization of joint projects in trade, business, and tourism," Borisov told Sellas, as cited by the government press service.

"The traditional ties between Bulgaria and Algeria need to be used as a foundation for boosting out economic partnership," the Algerian minister said in turn.

Borisov and Sellal exchanged greetings – the Algerian official greeted Borisov for his part GERB's win in the Bulgarian presidential and local elections as well as for the Bulgarian Day of Enlighteners, November 1.

The Bulgarian PM congratulated the Algerian minister on the occasion of Algeria's national holiday, Revolution Day, which is also celebrated on November 1.

November 1, in Algeria commemorates the first successfully coordinated attacks in 1954, by the National Liberation Front, against French military installations, public utilities, and communications facilities. The fighting continued until March 18, 1962, when an agreement was reached between French and the National Liberation Front at Evian, France, to grant Algeria its independence.