Skopje, 13 September 2024 (MIA) - Minister of Culture and Tourism Zoran Ljutkov met Friday with his Bulgarian counterpart Nayden Todorov in Sofia ahead of the performance of the Macedonian National Opera and Ballet in the Bulgarian capital. At the meeting, Ljutkov highlighted the country’s readiness to continue the dialogue and cooperation with Bulgaria.

According to Ljutkov, cultural diplomacy is a tool for the emancipation of culture in foreign policy to realize long-term goals, as well as intensive cooperation, promotion and sustainable development of relations with other countries.

In a post on his Facebook profile, Ljutkov wrote that at the meeting he highlighted the importance of the signed bilateral documents such as the Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism between the Governments of Macedonia and Bulgaria signed in 2000, and the Agreement between the Governments of Macedonia and Bulgaria in culture also signed in 2000.

“On the basis of this Agreement, several cooperation programs have been signed between the culture ministries. The last program was signed in 2022 and is valid until 2025. In the coming period, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria, will initiate the drafting of a new text for this bilateral document that would be signed next year and that would represent additional momentum in the enhancement of cultural ties between the two countries,” Ljutkov wrote. 

At the meeting with Todorov, Ljutkov welcomed the cooperation in music and stage performances, especially between the national operas of the two countries.

“Not long ago the Macedonian public had a chance to see Wagner’s ‘The Valkyrie’ [performed by the Sofia Opera and Ballet] at the May Opera Evenings, and today’s return visit [to Sofia] by the National Opera and Ballet with Verdi's ‘Nabucco’ represents a special joy. At the same time, I voiced support for the initiative of the Bulgarian Minister to hold a joint concert of the Sofia Philharmonic, the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra and the Macedonian Philharmonic in Sofia, and then in Skopje and Thessaloniki,” Ljutkov wrote.

The Minister added that the meeting represented an opportunity to also voice satisfaction with the cooperation in the field of theater performances between the two countries. 

Photo: Zoran Ljutkov's official Facebook profile