site.bta Economy Minister Sedlarski Aspires to Liberate Entrepreneurial Spirit in Bulgaria

Economy Minister Sedlarski Aspires to Liberate Entrepreneurial Spirit in Bulgaria

Sofia, February 6 (BTA) - Caretaker Economy Minister Teodor Sedlarski said in a BTA interview that he will be happy if he could help liberate the entrepreneurial spirit in this country and convince people and the business in Bulgaria, as well as ever more foreign investors, that this country is a good place to do business.

Sedlarski said that a full review of all public procurement procedures is underway, the alerts received are being analyzed, and if any irregularities are detected, they will be made public.

The new Economy Minister will be active in the social networks. Virtual reality will be a means to an end declared by Sedlarski: improving the competitiveness of the Bulgarian economy. Attracting strategic investors is a step in this direction. "We will open the channels through which successful investors in Bulgaria can share their success stories and achievements with the Bulgarian business and their foreign partners," the interviewee said, adding that, to this end, the Economy Ministry will be providing information on Facebook and Twitter about the opportunities for project financing, timeframes and eligibility requirements.

Another way to boost competitiveness is to encourage the mass entrepreneurial spirit of the public in Bulgaria, Sedlarski said. "I place much hope on young people. Bulgaria has already turned into a very attractive destination for startup culture enthusiasts. I often talk to the recently formed coworking spaces in Sofia," the Minister said. The idea is to interface education with urban entrepreneurial culture and ambience.

He explained that a modern culture is emerging in which young people share their working space, forming communities in which they live and work together. "Networking entrepreneurial initiatives in Bulgarian cities can counterbalance depopulation in many parts of the country. In Economy 4.0, Industry 4.0., everything happens online, regardless of the physical location of a production operation or office. Thus, one can be in one's favourite place in Bulgaria, at the seaside, in Plovdiv's Old City, or wherever one likes, and produce value added products there," Sedlarski said.

He pointed out that there are plans to set up a body of scientists, bankers and industrialists to provide advice, guidelines and a vision for economic development, along the model of Germany's Council of Seven Wise Men.

Sedlarski said that an effort will be made to speed up the digitization of his Ministry's operation and to increase the number of one-stop-shop services. A working group has been formed for easing the administrative burden on small and midsize business. "We are exploring all options to cut red tape through statutory instruments of secondary legislation and introduce tacit consent where appropriate and lawful. This is also the main talking point at planned meetings with the business community, along with a review of fees for SMEs," the caretaker Economy Minister added.