The visit included a working session at Vaptsarov Naval Academy, following her meeting with Bulgarian Minister of Defense Atanas Zapryanov on July 11.

During her talks with Rear Admiral Kalin Kalinov, Director of the Academy, Ambassador Nguyet conveyed Minister Zapryanov’s interest in enhancing defence cooperation with Vietnam. She proposed specific areas of cooperation, including establishing a defence policy dialogue mechanism and expanding academic and training exchanges between the two countries’ military institutions.

The Ambassador also praised the two countries’ longstanding cooperation in education and training, and introduced Vietnam’s strengths in the maritime sector, while showing interest in boosting training and education cooperation with Vaptsarov Naval Academy.

For his part, Rear Admiral Kalin Kalinov said that the academy currently trains around 250 military cadets and 3,500 civilian students. Of these, 40–50% specialize in information technology and 8% are international students, the second-highest ratio in Bulgaria, after Sofia Medical University.

He added that the academy places strong emphasis on high-tech fields such as cybersecurity and aerospace, and is one of only two institutions in Bulgaria offering dedicated programs in these areas. He commended the achievements of Vietnamese alumni and expressed interest in expanding cooperation with Vietnam, particularly in civilian maritime training, and proposed building ties with Vietnamese maritime universities.

As part of the visit, Ambassador Nguyet also visited Dolphin Shipyard, one of Bulgaria’s largest and most advanced shipbuilding facilities. During the meeting, Plamen Manushev, Advisor to the Director, said the shipyard was established in 1991 and currently employs more than 550 highly qualified engineers and technicians, along with around 200 contract workers.

The shipyard specializes in shipbuilding and repair, meeting the standards of the EU, NATO, and international maritime organizations. Manushev acknowledged Vietnam’s potential in the shipbuilding industry and voiced interest in cooperating with Vietnamese companies, initially in the field of technical labor supply.

The Vietnamese stated that in her recent meeting with Bulgaria’s Minister of Labor and Social Policy, B. Gutsanov, both sides had discussed the potential for labor cooperation. She affirmed her support for facilitating connections between Dolphin Shipyard and Vietnamese businesses to promote practical, mutually beneficial cooperation.

Varna is Bulgaria’s third-largest city and widely regarded as the country’s “maritime capital.” It serves as a key center for maritime commerce, shipbuilding, tourism, and culture, and is home to the world’s oldest known gold treasure – the Varna Necropolis, dating back more than 6,500 years.

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