European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will arrive in Bulgaria on Sunday, August 31, where she will meet with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov.

The two will visit the leading state-owned enterprise in the military industry and the largest ammunition production facility in the country, the European Commission announced.

President Von der Leyen's visit will highlight the EU's support for member states facing the challenges of shared borders with Russia and Belarus. She will discuss Europe's security and defense with government leaders and military representatives.

BGNES recalls that Europe's largest defense concern Rheinmetall will build two plants in Bulgaria - for gunpowder and for shells. The news was announced on Monday by GERB leader Boyko Borisov and Rheinmetall CEO Armin Paperger. The German defense concern is expected to sign the billion-dollar investment contract with Bulgaria within 3 weeks. On Wednesday, our head of state Rumen Radev attended the opening of the concern's new factory in Lower Saxony, which will be the largest capacity for the production of artillery shells in Europe.

The European Commission notes that von der Leyen's tour of the countries on the EU's eastern border, which begins tomorrow, will also pass through Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania and Romania. | BGNES