President of the World Bank Robert Zoellick praised the Bulgarian government for successfully tackling the global economic crisis on his official visit to the country Monday.

“I came hear to learn and listen,” said Zoellick, adding that in the situation of heavy economic crisis Bulgaria is doing “not worse than most” and that achieved results are manifest for all to see.

The World Bank president stated that his visit comes at a crucial time for the relations between the institution and Bulgaria and vowed to support the country's efforts.

He said that in the past Bulgaria has had problems with corruption and administrative services but praised the efforts of the GERB cabinet to overcome them, saying that Bulgaria has “potential.” The World Bank president supported his words by referring to the latest European Commission progress report on Bulgaria.

Zoellick further added that Bulgaria can rely on support not only for road infrastructure projects, but also in the areas of energy, education and administrative capacity.

Bulgarian PM Boyko Borisov in his turn stated that Bulgaria will be able to take “as much as it wants” from the World Bank, as reported by VarnaUtre.bg.

The prime minister gave a demonstration of newly acquired road-construction equipment and praised the work of his cabinet in the field of road infrastructure, saying that some their important goals are the quality of the roads and the transparency in the spending of funds on infrastructure.

The official meeting took place at the site of the ongoing repair project on the road between Bulgarian Black Sea capital Varna and north-eastern town of Dobrich.

Zoellick too praised the quality of the work, saying that with projects like this one the GERB cabinet is working for the economic improvement of Bulgaria.

The meeting was attended by Bulgaria's EU commissioner Kristalina Georgieva, who holds the international development and humanitarian aid portfolio, and before assuming that position in 2010 worked as a World Bank vice president under Zoellick.