Israel and Bulgarian will strengthen their strategic cooperation on security and tourism, Tourism Minister Stas Misezhnikov said Monday.
The Israeli tourism leader flew to Burgas to meet with Bulgarian President Rossen Plevneliev and Prime Minister Boiko Borissov following last week's deadly terrorist attack on Israeli tourists at the Burgas airport.
Accompanying Misezhnikov was a senior delegation that included top officials from the travel industry.
Among those who went to meet with their Bulgarian counterparts were Kobi Karni, Chairman of the Israel Tourist and Travel Agents Association, Yossi Fattal, CEO of the Israel Tourist and Travel Agents Association, Ami Etgar, Director General, Israel Incoming Tourism Operators Association, Moni Bar, Honorary Consul of Bulgaria in Israel and Chairman of TUI Israel and Air Berlin Group in Israel, Yaron Miller, Founder and Owner of Flying Carpet, Boaz Waxman, Chairman of Ofir Tours, David Kaminitz, CEO I.D.B Tourism, and Yehuda Shen, Manager of the Central and South Europe Department at the Ministry of Tourism.
An investigation is proceeding into the suicide bombing on the tour bus the Israelis were boarding in the parking lot outside the airport, Misezhnikov told reporters after the meeting.
Five Israeli tourists were killed, along with the driver of the tour bus, who was an Bulgarian national, in addition to the terrorist. In addition, 35 people were wounded, including three who were critically injured and who were flown by medical helicopter to a hospital in Sofia.