On November 23, the first female president of European Parliament, distinguished European politician Simone Veil, arrived to an official visit to Bulgaria at the invitation of Speaker of Bulgarian Parliament Georgi Pirinski and the rector of Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski, Ivan Ilchev.

On November 24, Veil met Pirinski and Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anastassia Mozer, who chairs the group for friendship with France, MP and historian Andrei Pantev and the head of the Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute Milan Milanov, the press service of the Parliament said in a statement.

During the meeting, Pirinski greeted Veil on her election to the French Academy of Sciences (the Académie française), and on the presentation of her book One Life while in Bulgaria.

The need to strengthen European solidarity was one of the main topics discussed during the talks, and particularly the need for European countries and institutions to unite their efforts to overcome the new challenges stemming from the world financial crisis. Pirinski said Bulgaria was currently stable financially, but joint efforts were necessary to retain this stability.

Bulgaria's judicial reforms and measures to combat corruption were another topic of discussion.

Veil, for her part, explained her interest in Bulgaria had grown greatly since the country had become an European Union member state. She expressed her satisfaction with Bulgaria's active participation in the francophony movement. The possibilities to find new common grounds in the dialogue with the French culture and civilization were also discussed.

Ethnic tolerance, the adequate integration of the minorities and the issue of the equal opportunities for men and women in modern societies were among the other main topics of the meeting.

On November 25, Veil will attend the opening of a memorial plate dedicated to the seven founders of Sofia University St Kliment Ohridski. Later, at a solemn ceremony to be held in the ceremonial hall of the university she will be awarded the honorary title of Doctor Honoris Causa of Sofia University.