`A leading Italian banking group is interested in buying Bulgarian insurance companies`, Italian Deputy Industry Minister Giuseppe Galatti told Bulgarian Deputy PM and Economy Minister Nikolai Vassilev at a meeting. The Italian business circles have great confidence in the new government and hope for active cooperation in the economy, Galatti added. The Italian businessmen are interested in cooperation in the agriculture, viticulture, wine making, timber processing and the production of household utensils. Italy was last year`s third biggest investor in Bulgaria with $339.7 M of investments in the country. Two-way trade stood at $585.4 M in the January-May 2001 period and at $1,235 M in 2000. Selva assured Vassilev in the support of the Italian government and parliament for Bulgaria`s accession to the EU and NATO.