Netherlands Ambassador Karel van Kesteren has evaluated positively the reform efforts of the Bulgarian government of the GERB party, in his interview opening the Dutch Survey of Novinite.com.

With the interview of His Excellency, Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) is opening its new project: The International Survey exploring various aspects of Bulgaria’s relations with foreign countries. Its first edition is dedicated to the relations between Bulgaria and the Netherlands.

According to Ambassador Karel van Kesteren, the almost balanced budget adopted by the present Bulgarian government is an important achievement in the midsts of the raging economic crisis, which is going to cement the stability of the currency peg.

His Excellency has stressed the importance of proper reforms in justice and home affairs saying those are actually measures that would improve Bulgaria’s business and investment climate.

“Dutch companies have found in Bulgaria a land of opportunities, both in terms of production for abroad and as a local market for their products,” the Dutch Ambassador declared.

In his words, Dutch technologies have a huge potential to offer to Bulgaria cost-effective solution in fields such as agriculture, water and waste management, transport, logistics, chemicals, machines and energy efficiency.

“300 Dutch companies are present in Bulgaria and apart from the big ones like Shell, ING, Heineken, TNT and Unilever, these include many small and medium sized enterprises, many of them united in the Bulgarian-Dutch Business Club,” Ambassador Karel van Kesteren said.

He has pointed out that Bulgaria’s untapped potential has to do with its tourism, it economy in general, which still has a lot to achieve, and with the country’s regional knowledge as part of the EU.