Norway is financing a 40 million euro worth of projects in Bulgaria in several priority areas: energy efficiency, environment, sustainable development and Schengen Area membership, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said.
At the opening of his session with Mladenov, Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre hailed the efforts of Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and his government to counter corruption and crime.
The two discussed common Balkan priorities, NATO's new Strategic Concept and shared efforts to build stable institutions in Afghanistan. They agreed there are no outstanding issues between Norway and Bulgaria, but many opportunities for cooperation in the Balkans and the Middle East.
Mladenov also conferred with the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Norwegian Storting to present the Bulgarian foreign policy priorities, the progress of the country's justice and home affairs reforms and its preparations to join the Schengen Area.
Norwegian Environment and International Development Minister Erik Solheim and the guest discussed opportunities for joint projects in Afghanistan and the Balkans to assist the building of local administrative capacity.
"Bulgaria is only beginning to create a mechanism for cooperation in the field of international development. Our priorities were spelled out by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov in his speech before the UN General Assembly earlier in the year. Bulgaria and Norway can work together in this field," Mladenov said.