The relations between our countries come from an emotional connection, not our economic interests, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov said to President Shimon Peres during a meeting on Tuesday. "I came to visit in order to underline that true friends are not only friends when it suits them, but during the true hour of need," Mladenov said. He continued to say that the close ties with Israel stems from a shared history during World War II. "We are lucky that the majority of Bulgarian Jews were saved and were able to go on to build Israel. This [history] creates a strong, emotional connection and responsibility on our part to ensure Israel's safety and its future."
(photo credit: The Jerusalem Post)