Bulgaria will continue to encourage investment in the real economy, President Plevneliev tells EU ambassadors
Bulgaria will continue to create favourable conditions for foreign investors and encourage investment in the real economy, President Rosen Plevneliev said at a meeting on December 19 2012 with ambassadors of EU member states, Croatia and Switzerland, a statement by the Presidency said.
Plevneliev underlined that the country’s conservative fiscal policy resulted in confidence in the Bulgarian economy being maintained and this policy would continue in the future.
He said that transparency and continuity are key to the success of reforms in the country. He briefed the diplomats on progress in implementing reforms of the judiciary, defence and security sectors and administrative reform, the statement said.
Plevneliev gave an update on preparations for the holding of a referendum on the future of nuclear energy in Bulgaria. He reiterated that the wording of the question that Bulgarian citizens would face in January 2013 called for a principled position on nuclear development and was not associated with a specific project.
According to the President, deepening integration within the EU was the most effective way to overcome the accumulated imbalances in development in the Union. He said that it would be unacceptable for an overall reduction in the sum in the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework 2014 – 2020 to create conditions in which wealth would be redistributed from poorer to richer countries. Plevneliev also insisted that sufficient funds should be guaranteed in the EU’s Cohesion Policy so that cuts would not affect the least developed regions of the Union.
Plevneliev reaffirmed Bulgaria’s support for the decision by the EU General Affairs Council not to set a date for the start of negotiations on the accession of Macedonia. “If we all stick to the rules, the situation can be easily resolved. Goodwill on the side of the Macedonian authorities is essential, as well as the establishment of a contractual basis with Macedonia for good neighbourly relations,” the President said.
