Rome (VNA) – A delegation from the National Assembly (NA) Committee for National Defence and Security, led by its chairman Lieut. Gen. Le Tan Toi, conducted a working visit to Bulgaria and Italy from September 26 to October 3.

In Bulgaria, the delegation, also grouped representatives of the Vietnam-Bulgaria and Vietnam-Italy friendship groups, met with Rositsa Lyubenova Kirova, Vice President of the Bulgarian National Assembly and Chairwoman of the Bulgaria-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group. They also held talks with Hristo Georgiev Gadzhev, Chairperson of Bulgaria’s NA Committee on Defence, while working with Bulgarian Minister of Defence Atanas Dimitrov Zapryanov.

During their stay in Italy, the delegation paid a courtesy call to Anna Ascani, Vice President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. They also engaged in working sessions with Senator Pier Ferdinando Casini, Honorary President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU); Chiara Gribaudo, Chairwoman of the Italy-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group; Antonino Minardo, chairperson of the Italian Chamber of Deputies’ Defence Committee; and Matteo Perego di Cremnago, Undersecretary of State to the Italian Ministry of Defence.

At the meetings, Toi stated Vietnam treasures its traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Bulgaria and its strategic partnership with Italy.

He outlined four key objectives of the delegation’s visit, which are to strengthen cooperative ties between the NA committee and its Bulgarian and Italian corresponding committees, to enhance Vietnam’s legislative cooperation with the two countries, to bolster ties between their respective parliamentary friendship groups, and to gain insights and experience on legislation related to UN peacekeeping activities, defence industry development, and new potential areas for collaboration.

Both Bulgaria and Italy expressed their readiness to share insights and legislative experience on topics of Vietnam’s interest.

Italy’s Ministry of Defence accepted an invitation to visit Vietnam and attend the Vietnam International Defence Expo in December 2024, further advancing defence and security cooperation within the sides’ existing frameworks and other areas of mutual interest. Italian parliamentary leaders, including Pier Ferdinando Casini and Anna Ascani, also expressed their willingness to visit Vietnam in the near future to strengthen legislative cooperation.

For his part, Toi lauded Bulgaria and Italy’s ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and encouraged them to further leverage the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) for mutual benefit.

🧸 He also called for their support in urging remaining EU countries to soon ratify the EVIPA, lift the “yellow card” warning on Vietnamese seafood, and ensure favourable conditions for the Vietnamese diaspora to integrate and preserve their cultural heritage./.