Prista Oil, Bulgaria's largest automobile and industrial lubricant-maker, will build the first waste lubricant recycling plant in Ukraine in the spring of 2013.

The news was announced Tuesday by Mikola Baltaji, Ukrainian Ambassador to Bulgaria, during a meeting with Stefko Burdzhiev, District Governor of the Danube city of Ruse, where Prista Oil is headquartered.

The Ukrainian diplomat went to Ruse on a working visit and he met with Burdzhev, and his two deputies, Vesko Marinov, and Andrian Raykov.

According to reports of Darik radio, the Ukrainian government has approved the construction of the waste lubricant recycling plant and the facility is expected to bring economic and environmental benefits for the country.

During the talks, the Ukrainian Ambassador expressed the country's interest in improving navigation on the Danube, adding that a company based in Izmail could secure the river dredging and the deepening of the waterways.

The step could help make the Danube navigable all year long.

Despite not being an EU Member State, Ukraine voiced willingness to cooperate with Bulgarian authorities, and the District Administration of Ruse in particular, on the Danube Strategy.

Business cooperation with the Danube city of Ruse will be facilitated through the newly created Bulgarian-Ukrainian Business Chamber, which has already received numerous queries from Ukrainian companies concerning partnership opportunities with Bulgarian firms.

The Ruse District Administration suggested that Ukrainian ships could stop and have a tour around Ruse in a bid to increase tourist flows.

Ambassador Mikola Baltaji made clear he expected an increase of nearly 20% in Ukrainian tourists to Bulgaria, given that in 2011 the country was visited by 250 000 Ukrainian nationals.

Meanwhile, bilateral trade between Bulgaria and Ukraine totaled USD 1.7 – 1.8 B in 2011, but the level is expected to drop to around USD 1 B in 2012 due to the crisis.

The Ukrainian diplomat extended an invitation on behalf of the Governor of Odessa Oblast for a visit by a delegation from Ruse.

The visit will most likely take place in the spring of 2013 and will include business representatives.

To demonstrate Ukrainians' serious plans to participate in projects of Bulgarian district and municipal administrations, Ruse was given a modern bus to use in its public transport.

The bus was made at the Lviv Bus Factory, which plans to open a plant in Bulgaria's northern city of Gabrovo.

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