House Speaker Holds a Meeting with Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), Puan Maharani, received Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment and Industry, Alexander Poulev, and his delegation at the Indonesian Parliament Complex in Jakarta on Monday, September 14, 2026. In her opening remarks, Puan recalled Indonesian President Soekarno’s visit to Bulgaria.

"Bulgaria was one of the earliest countries in Europe to recognize Indonesia’s independence. Indonesia’s first President, President Soekarno, visited Bulgaria in 1961 as a demonstration of the friendship between the two countries," she said.

Puan also recalled that during his visit to Bulgaria, President Soekarno brought home Bulgaria’s iconic rose. She said Bulgarian roses are still cultivated in Indonesia today as raw materials for perfumes and essential oils.

"He brought home Bulgarian roses, which are still cultivated in Indonesia today as raw materials for making perfumes and essential oils," Puan said

The meeting was used to strengthen bilateral relations between Indonesia and Bulgaria, which will mark their 70th anniversary on Sunday, September 20, 2026, while also promoting cooperation across various sectors. Puan said Poulev’s visit, which comes shortly before the anniversary, symbolizes the close ties between the two countries.

She emphasized that Indonesia views Bulgaria as an important partner in the Balkan region and Europe. According to Puan, the partnership is built on shared values of democracy and multilateralism, respect for international law, and a commitment to a rules-based international order.

As a representative of the Indonesian people, Puan said the Indonesian Parliament is committed to strengthening bilateral relations through parliamentary diplomacy. The Indonesian Parliament and Bulgaria’s National Assembly have maintained good cooperation in various multilateral forums, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the OECD Global Parliamentary Network.

Puan also highlighted opportunities to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, saying Bulgaria has a strategic position as a gateway for Indonesian products to the Balkan and European markets, while also potentially become an investment partner for Indonesia. She expressed hope that Bulgaria could become an important partner in maximizing the implementation of the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Indonesia-EU CEPA).

Beyond economic cooperation, Puan emphasized the importance of strengthening people-to-people ties through education, cultural exchanges, tourism, and employment. She specifically praised Bulgaria for introducing Indonesian language courses at the University of Sofia.

"I appreciate the efforts to introduce and teach Indonesian at the University of Sofia. I also appreciate the establishment of the Indonesian Permanent Heritage Collection at the National Gallery Bulgaria since 2019," Puan said.

Puan also expressed hope that relations between Indonesia and Bulgaria would grow even closer as the two countries mark the 70th anniversary of their bilateral ties.

"As beautiful and fragrant as the Bulgarian rose brought by Bung Karno from Bulgaria, so too is the friendship that has developed between Indonesia and Bulgaria. Once again, I would like to thank Your Excellency for your visit to Indonesia," Puan concluded.