London – February 2007. HE Mr Anthony Bailey, the Grand Magistral Delegate for Inter-Religious Relations, attended a reception in honour of, and met with His Excellency Mr Sergei Stanishev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria on the occasion of the Official Visit to the United Kingdom. Bulgaria became a full member of the European Union on 1 January 2007.
The reception at the Bulgarian Embassy in London was hosted by the Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to the Court of St James’s, His Excellency Dr Lachezar Matev. The Ambassador, who is a Knight Commander of the Royal Order of Francis I, has been a strong advocate of inter-religious initiatives at home and abroad. During early summer 2007 it is expected that an inter-religious conference will be hosted by the Order in Britain attended by leading Bulgarian and British religious leaders.