site.btaPresidents of Germany, Bulgaria Open Joint Economic Forum

Presidents of Germany, Bulgaria Open Joint Economic Forum

Sofia, June 23 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and his German counterpart Joachim Gauck Thursday opened here a joint economic forum titled "Industry 4.0", as part of the German President's three-day state visit to Bulgaria.

Addressing the forum, Plevneliev said that Bulgaria and Germany can bring together more high-tech productions to this country. Ever more companies choose Bulgaria as a destination for exporting services and productions, he went on to say. The outsourcing services sector is blooming today in Bulgaria and it currently provides over 40,000 jobs, the Bulgarian head of State added. In his words, Bulgaria is the best outsourcing destination in Europe, as established by the British Outsourcing Association and the European Outsourcing Association.

"Exporting processes to other countries is the best way to handle the problem with the shortage of cadres, which Germany faces too. Today Germany is looking for more than 40,000 IT experts. Bulgaria has a very dynamic environment of SMEs, which could fill this hole," Plevneliev said.

The Bulgarian President also noted the reforms carried out in many sectors in his country, such as justice, education, and healthcare. The Bulgarian administration, institutions and regulators are being reformed and modernized, he said. "We will achieve a lot when the regulators in Bulgaria start to work truly independently and effectively," he added.

Trade between the two countries is constantly growing, said the German President, who outlined the information and communications sector as having good chances for higher economic growth.

Gauck noted that over the past decades, and especially under pressure from the economic and financial crisis, Bulgaria has proven that it is ready to change constantly. He said that in the past quarter century, since the start of the democratic changes, structural reforms were carried out constantly, state enterprises were privatized and the state administration was reduced, which is why this country had seen increasing economic indices and low unemployment prior to the economic and financial crisis. According to Gauck, it is encouraging that this trend is once again slowly re-emerging, following the pause caused by the crisis.

German entrepreneurs are aware of Bulgaria's attractiveness and advantages as an investment destination, such as the low tax rates and qualified and motivated professionals, Gauck said. Meanwhile, he said that if investors could wish for anything, that would be a modernized infrastructure and administrative reform, which could go hand in hand with all positive processes in Bulgaria. According to the German President, investors complain of insufficient legal security and corruption. Investors still claim that the Bulgarian economy could perform much better and is currently moving "with its handbrake on", he said. Gauck further noted that clear and extensive rules for fighting corruption create transparency and encourage investors.

Earlier on Thursday, German President Gauck conferred with Parliament Chair Tsetska Tsacheva.
Bulgaria's and Romania's Schengen membership will make Europe more secure and all European citizens calmer, Tsacheva said during the meeting.

Germany appreciates Bulgaria's efforts and results in protecting the EU external border, President Gauck said. According to him, it is very important for Bulgaria that the judicial reform and the fight against corruption continue. He described the constitutional amendments concerning the Judiciary, which were adopted towards the end of last year, as a step forward for Bulgaria and as having been dictated by the Bulgarian citizens' expectations.

Legislative measures in the area of justice reform are among the highlights in Parliament's work, Tsacheva said. The Government sponsored bill concerning countering corruption among high-ranking figures is yet to be discussed, she added.

Tsacheva thanked Germany for the valuable experience shared and the tangible support it has provided in these exceptionally important processes.

Presidents Plevneliev and Gauck delivered a lecture at Sofia University about Germany and Bulgaria as partners in the EU, in which they stressed the importance of a united Europe.

According to Gauck, there must be a common vision and idea, because separately, European countries do not have enough weight and can not compete with big nations, such as China. Europe needs a common voice in which it can speak to its partners, he said.

President Plevneliev said during the lecture that every level-headed person in Europe, who has learned the lessons of history, must protect and support the EU. The European project is the best thing created by the progressive human thought  following the total shock of WWII, when everyone hated everyone else in Europe, the Bulgarian head of State said. According to him, the EU's mission is to support the rule of law and human
rights, so that there is peace in Europe, the Balkans and the world.