Israeli prime minister to visit Romania next week

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will begin an official visit to Romania next Wednesday, the first one of a head of the Israeli government over the past 20 years. Netanyahu will also visit Bulgaria.

“It is important to promote relationships with these countries. We believe there is a lot of support and sympathy in Eastern Europe and that we have friends here whom we want to keep close. We want to show them that we appreciate their friendship,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying. He will meet prime minister Emil Boc and president Traian Basescu. The following day he will visit Sofia to meet Bulgarian prime minister Boiko Borisov and president Gheorghi Parvanov.