Petko Nikolov: Bulgaria will be the basis of the development of Eastern Europe
Our country has strengthened and continues to strengthen its role as an active participant in regional cooperation and its position as a key factor for the stability and security of our region.
Eastern Europe offers several opportunities for economic growth, and I have no doubt that Bulgaria will be at the heart of the region's development.
This was stated by the Acting Minister of Economy, Petko Nikolov, BGNES reported.
Nikolov emphasized that the pandemic and military conflicts showed that the EU is too dependent on supplies of raw materials, goods, and services from third countries. "In this context, increasing European autonomy is essential for economic and financial stability," he said.
Other essential factors for stability, according to the Acting Minister of the Economy, are the rapid adaptation to the dynamically changing environment and, above all, the guarantee of stable regional sustainability and connectivity.
"Undoubtedly, every country must make efforts to ensure European autonomy, and in this regard, Bulgaria emphasizes the important role of the effective industrial policy of the Union, which, on the one hand, can stimulate important competitive industries to strengthen the industrial base of Europe and on the other hand to secure strategic and important supply chains," he noted.
Nikolov explained that the aim is to reduce the EU's dependence on third countries for energy, raw materials, equipment, important key technologies, semiconductors, digital technologies, food, etc., as well as to create an opportunity to diversify the markets from which the EU makes deliveries.
According to him, to overcome the difficulties in this direction, it is necessary to reduce the production capacity along the value chains, as well as to modernize the production technologies.
"Investments in human capital, which is the basis of industrial success, are of great importance in these processes," added the Acting Minister of Economy and added that investments in infrastructure, green connectivity, in industrial zones are an important and key aspect of the region.
Nikolov emphasized that the lack of infrastructural connections and the difficult trade and exchange of goods are the result of the unfinished process of the integration of the countries of the Western Balkans into the EU.
He is adamant that our full integration into the Schengen area will contribute to more efficient regional, transport, energy and digital connectivity.
The total effect is estimated at around and over BGN 1 billion per year, so every year due to the delay in this process, businesses and citizens of the region lose these funds, Nikolov said.
In conclusion, he commented that the Vienna Economic Forum initiative is an indisputable example of successful regional cooperation. /BGNES
