The program started with the meeting with Mr. Daniel Panov, Mayor of the city. Mr. V. Spiridonov, Chairman of the City Council, Ms. S. Daneva-Ivanova, Deputy Mayor, Dr. D. Racheva, Director of Oncological clinic administrated by the city and Mr. P. Christov, local significant businessman also attended this meeting. Management of the city introduced the history and historical sights of Veliko Tarnovo, former capital city of the medieval Bulgaria.

Mayor Mr. Panov, as the chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Cities and Municipalities, asked Ambassador Štrauch to mediate  a partership of Veliko Tarnovo with some Czech city, because no such partnership existed as of yet. Mr. Panov considers city of Opava as a suitable  for such partership. Ambassador Štrauch promised to examine this proposal.

Then both sides instroduced the possibilities of economic cooperation. Mayor Panov pointed out, that Veliko Tarnovo has an advantageous location. The airport (G. Oriyachovitsa) as well as the main railway connection are at hand. There will be also an advantageous highway connection in the future (after the construction of highway „Hemus“ will be finnished). Economic zones have been already existed around the city of Veliko Tarnovo.

Ambassador Štrauch introduced the particular offer of the Czech Proton Therapy Center for the cooperation with (or even the direct investment in) the local Oncological Center. Director of this Center, Dr. Racheva, was very interested in this offer and this contact is going to continue. Then Mr. Ambassador mentioned other Czech companies, which could supply their products/technologies to Bulgarian market, for example the urban furniture, proccesing and recycling of construction waste, local smaller sewage treatment plants as well as vehicles for public transport (buses, electrobuses). He also provided relevant documents about these companies.

Mr. Ambassador proposed the official working visit by his deputy  (who is a head of Economic Department of the Embassy) with the director of CzechTrade Agency to continue this agenda and specify the possible cooperation in a more detail.

Similar meeting was held at the office of region of Veliko Tarnovo, where Mr. Ambassador had a meeting with two deputies of Ms. Governor Prof. Popova - with Ms. D. Borisova and Ms. I. Kabakchieva. The emphasis of the meeting was put on ecological technologies and transport vehicles of the future (electrobuses). Regional administration showed its interest in both discussed areas and again discussion will continue on the working level also at governor´s office.

After these meetings Mr. Ambassador visited historical sights of the city of Veliko Tarnovo and could also watch tha laser show „Sounds and light“, which was arranged for the city in 1985 in cooperation with Czech specialists and an outstanding Czech musician Mr. J. Stivín.