Antara News·Indonesia·Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 08:00 AM

Gibran, Poulev hold talks to strengthen ties

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Prisca Triferna, Raka Adji

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming met with Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Poulev, who also serves as Minister of Economy, Investments, and Industry, in Jakarta on Monday to discuss strengthening bilateral ties.

"Welcome to Jakarta, Your Excellency. This is a very special visit as it marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Bulgaria on September 20," Gibran said at the meeting.

According to a statement received here on Tuesday, Gibran conveyed President Prabowo Subianto’s greetings to Poulev and underscored the importance of strengthening the seven-decade diplomatic ties between the two nations.

He expressed hope the visit would unlock new avenues of cooperation benefiting both Indonesia and Bulgaria.

During the meeting, Poulev appreciated Indonesian government’s warm welcome and affirmed Bulgaria’s readiness to participate in Indonesia’s economic development.

He assessed strong diplomatic ties are a key foundation for building the two nations' economic partnerships. Poulev added that according to a Bulgarian economic assessment, Indonesia is projected to become one of the world's top four economies within the next decade.

Beyond economic cooperation, he expressed sympathy over recent disasters in Indonesia and pledged Bulgaria's readiness to assist.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Anis Matta noted one of the opportunities explored during the meeting was boosting trade and investment by leveraging Bulgaria's position as a gateway for Indonesian products to the European Union market.

Matta stated key sectors discussed included agro-industry and logistics, highlighting the potential for Bulgaria to serve as an entry point for Indonesian goods into a European market of around 450 million consumers.

Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Trade Dyah Roro Esti expressed hope for Bulgaria's support in finalising the Indonesia–European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA), while unlocking opportunities for collaboration in food security and technology transfer.

Further, Indonesia's Deputy Minister of Creative Economy Irene Umar noted cooperation could also be expanded through meetings and exchanges between both nations' creative industry stakeholders.

One key step includes inviting a Bulgarian delegation to attend the World Conference on Creative Economy (WCCE) in Jakarta on October 21-23, 2026.

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