If twenty years ago Bulgaria's relations with Russia boiled down to exchange of ideologemes and export of canned food, now things are totally different. The key concept today is pragmatism. This, though, does not mean that the strong historic ties between the two countries are neglected; neither are the big economic joint projects that are in the process of turning into reality. Last week Bulgaria's Minister of Economy and Energy, Petar Dimitrov brought from Russia the momentous news that the Russian Government was ready to allot funds from the federal budget for the construction of Belene NPP. This possibility was first mentioned by Vladimir Putin in Sofia in January. By the end of 2008 the first concrete of the new foundation of Bulgaria's second nuclear power plant will have been laid.
Progress is made in the projects for the construction of oil pipelines Bourgas-Alexandroupolis and South Stream.
 "Economic ties have been considerably intensified," commented Mikhail Lyuboserdov advisor on agricultural issues in Russia.  The strong interregional relations provide good enough proof.
A promotion of Kurgan region took place at the end of May in Blagoevgrad. The prospects for co-operation in the sphere of the metal cutting machines, including the establishment of joint enterprises, were among the discussed topics.
The interregional relations have a considerable potential when it comes to the development of the commercial and industrial relations, especially in the field of small and middle business, Business Contacts magazine writes.
The politically impartial and clearly pragmatic bilateral relations have created conditions for the commodity exchange to grow two and a half times in the last three years. In 2007, it reached 4.2 billion US dollars in the two directions.
Now, Bulgaria exports 70% of its wines to Russia. Bulgaria is the leader on the Russian wine market where our country's contribution to the Russian total wine import amounts to some 30%.  
A festival of Russian culture, concerts, films, theatre performances, as well as guest performances of famous singers are included in the rich program of the Year of Russia in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria's wine export to Russia for 2007 equals 81 million litres, marking nearly 50 percent increase over the previous year, chair of the National Vine and Wine Chamber in Plovdiv, Plamen Mollov, reported.

About 35 million litres out of a total of 200 M litres of wine produced in Bulgaria were exported to countries in the European Union, Mollov said.

In 2006, Bulgaria exported 58 M litres of wine to Russia, which marked an increase of 8 percent over 2005, the annual report of the National Vine and Wine Chamber reads.

According to statistics, Poland, Germany and the Scandinavian countries are the biggest importers of Bulgarian wine after Russia.