On May 23, 2025, Bulgaria's Ambassador to Sweden, Svetlana Stoycheva-Etropolski, met with the Lord Mayor and Chairman of the City Council of Gothenburg, Mr. Aslan Akbas. The meeting was part of the Ambassador's official bilateral visit to Gothenburg. During the conversation, they discussed the development of bilateral friendly relations between Bulgaria and Sweden, based on common goals and shared values, as well as opportunities for future joint activities aimed at representing Bulgarians in the Gothenburg region and their participation in the cultural life of the city. Special attention was paid to the contribution of the Bulgarian community to deepening bilateral relations between the two nations. The ambassador took the opportunity to talk about the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the Bulgarian alphabet, education and culture, Slavic literature, and the creation of the Cyrillic alphabet. The possibilities for establishing deeper contacts between Bulgaria and Gothenburg in the areas of trade and economy, the green transition, scientific research, innovation, and high technology were discussed.

Developing political dialogue, trade and economic relations, establishing successful partnerships and closer cooperation with the Swedish regions and cities on trade, economic, cultural, educational, and other issues are among the embassy's priorities. There is synergy between Gothenburg's industrial power and Bulgaria's technological flexibility, which is the basis for a sustainable bilateral partnership. By combining Swedish industrial know-how with Bulgaria's flexibility, talent, and technological ecosystem, there is real potential for building long-term and strategic cooperation in several sectors.

The Ambassador also met with the chair of the Gothenburg Region Economic Development Agency and the Vice-chancellor of the University of Gothenburg. During the visit, specific opportunities for establishing bilateral business contacts were identified. Significant opportunities for academic and research partnerships between universities and leading research institutes in both countries were also discussed.