Bulgaria's President Proposes Cross-Party Pact on EU Funds Absorption

President Rosen Plevneliev has suggested that political parties in Bulgaria should seal a national pact for EU funds absorption.

Speaking Monday during the 7th annual meeting of the government with the business sector, he explained that the idea behind the national pact was to prevent next governments from interfering in EU funds absorption structures and to avoid a slowdown in absorption caused by the parliamentary elections.

"We must also achieve consensus on the "Bulgaria 2020" program. We must develop and implement the program, regardless of who is in power, and work on the long-term plan and the priorities," Plevneliev pointed out.

He emphasized the necessity for continuity in government and in the business sector, citing the constant launches and suspensions of the Belene NPP project as a negative example.

"In Bulgaria, it is precisely the business sector which proved through its activities that we can be a regional power. We have been through crises many times before, and this is what made us strong, because we do not believe in easy and hasty solutions," Plevneliev emphasized.

"Today we build bridges and highways, we fight for new factories, we build the electronic government, we readjust our foreign policy in support of export, etc" Bulgaria's head of state declared.

Plevneliev also spoke about Bulgaria's potential in the sectors of agriculture and food production, saying that the country "is not an exporter of raw materials and brains but of finished products."

He went on to suggest that Bulgaria would attract at least EUR 45 B in EU funding, foreign investments, and co-financing under European projects, by 2020.

Plevneliev also vowed to initiate a round table discussion at the President's Office on important business and economic issues.

"The "agriculture and tourism" formula is not enough, our country must develop sectors with a high added value," Bulgaria's President noted, adding that Bulgaria also had to try fostering innovations and the construction of technology parks.