For years, the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has been asking me to buy Bulgarian tobacco. Now politically I promise to improve the economy of these regions in Bulgaria, China will buy up to 10 million tons of tobacco leaves per year. That was announced by Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang at the press conference after the end of the 16 + 1 forum.

"We will process these leaves and I want to reassure the Chinese manufacturers that this quantity will not affect negatively China, but will
respond to the need of our good friend, "said Li Keqiang.

The deal is for buying up to 10,000 tonnes of dry tobacco or 10 million tonnes of dried leaves, explained representatives of the Bulgarian government.
If it is implemented in full, this means China will buy out the full year production of oriental tobaccos in Bulgaria. According to various agro-statistics, the country produces 15-18 thousand tonnes of dry Oriental tobacco per year and about 25 thousand tonnes of all kinds of tobacco.

I also suggested including Chinese varieties of tobacco to preserve the livelihood of the tobacco-producing regions, explained the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.

"Over the years, we tried to replace the tobacco with all sorts of things - carnations for example, but now the people can continue to grow tobacco. I thank Li Keqiang for this really is a political deal, "said Borisov.

The EBRD and the World Bank should be involved in the financing of 16 + 1 projects, Li Keqiang suggested to the international institutions. The initiative is open to enlargement with new countries and is not directed against the EU, on the contrary we want a strong and united Europe, the Chinese Prime Minister stressed. From Sofia he went to Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

China gives a clear guarantee that we can use its capabilities as an equal partner. In these times when the world is shaken by trade wars, sanctions and embargo, we have a wonderful opportunity for co-operation, explained Boyko Borisov.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister handed over the hosting to the next annual meeting of the countries Central and Eastern Europe to Croatian Andrei Plenkovic. "In the 16th century, the one born on Croatian islands Marco Polo found China for Europeans and I am glad that Croatia will host, " Plenkovic said

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